News

FY 2015: A Record-Breaking Year for Innovation Partnerships

1/5/2015
The University of Michigan spurred a record 19 startups in FY 2015, up from 14 a year ago, reflecting the substantial activity connected to its faculty’s rich array of research discoveries. U-M Innovation Partnerships set several records for annual performance in fiscal year 2015 including patents, agreements, startups and revenue....

Bruce Auerbach: Mentor-in-Residence

1/2/2015
The U-M Innovation Partnerships Venture Center first rolled out the Mentor-in-Residence program in 2008, in response to a demonstrated need for experienced startup professionals to assist with the multiple startup projects in the U-M pipeline. Among other things, Michigan’s Mentors-in-Residence assist with the raising of startup capital, the hired entrepreneurial...

America Invents Act: First to File

1/21/2013
The U.S. changes to a first-to-file patent system from a first-to-invent system as part of the America Invents Act of 2011. “Although the new system may produce some differing results, in general I look for it to be beneficial for the patent system as a whole,” Brandon said. “It will...

Ascenta Therapeutics: Rising to the Challenge of Cancer Research

1/5/2013
One of the things that makes cancer so formidable—and so difficult to treat—is the fact that cancer cells literally refuse to die. In a healthy organism, abnormal cells are removed through a process of programmed cell death known as apoptosis. But in cancer cells, the apoptosis pathways are defective, allowing...