UC Irvine to Host Conference for Industry – “Doing Business with the University of California’s Southern Campuses”

Wednesday, October 5th, 2005
Hyatt Newporter, Newport Beach, Calif.
3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

IRVINE, Calif. – September 12, 2005 – The five Southern California campuses of the University of California are coming together on October 5 to showcase A New Age in UC Technology Commercialization. Technology managers from UCLA, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine will present their campus capabilities and programs and discuss ways in which industry can take best advantage of the immense resources and technology base these campuses offer. Panel discussions will also take place among senior corporate executives, experienced venture capitalists, CEOs, entrepreneurs and faculty researchers who have established successful relationships with UC and started companies founded on UC technology. The conference is being sponsored by a UC Discovery Grant in partnership with the Orange County Technology Action Network (OCTANe) and the OCTANe@UCI initiative. The event will be held Wednesday, October 5, 2005 at the Hyatt Newporter in Newport Beach from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The program will serve to highlight the connection between UC campuses and the technology business community in Southern California. Attendees will discover what is involved in establishing technology licensing and research collaboration relationships. They will also gain access to several thousand technologies via a unique Web portal, in addition to gaining access to UC matching grants in collaboration with UC researchers. Event attendees will also have the valuable opportunity to network with the technology transfer staffs of UC’s five Southern California campuses.

“This event is designed to promote the exchange of ‘rapidly developing’ new innovations with business, community and industry,” said Gary Matkin, Dean of Continuing Education at UC Irvine Extension. “This seminar is targeted at the business community to highlight new UC technology positioned for commercialization and to accelerate and foster technology transfer and growth in Southern California.”

The seminar will also showcase an exhibition on investment opportunities and will feature start-up companies founded on UC technologies. Technology company executives, venture capitalists, investors, entrepreneurs and service providers to the technology business community are encouraged to attend the seminar and exhibition.

“This event represents a tremendous opportunity for Southern California businesses to network, connect with UC’s technology transfer professionals and to learn how to establish mutually beneficial relationships with UC’s southern campuses,” said David Schetter, UC Irvine Assistant Vice Chancellor, Research & Technology Alliances.

Presentations from UC officials will include:

• Top Issues Involving UC/Industry Agreements
  Campus presentations from UCLA, UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara representatives.
• Partnering Challenges and Opportunities between UC and Established Companies
  A panel of experienced company executives will discuss key issues and lessons learned in licensing and research alliances between established companies and UC.
• UC Discovery Grant Matching Grants Program
  Susanne Huttner, UC Associate Vice Provost shares details about UC’s grant program.
• Top Issues Regarding Start-ups Founded on UC Technology
  Campus presentations from UC San Diego and UC Irvine representatives.
• Panel Discussion: So You Want To Start A Company
  Hear first-hand from venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and faculty inventors who have leveraged university technology with start-up companies.

Tickets for the event cost $80 and can be purchased online or at the door. A $40 discount will be applied to all university faculty/staff, UC students and start-up company employees. For more information or to register for the event, please contact Jacci Cenci-McGrody at (949) 824-3425, via e-mail at jcencimc@uci.edu, or visit the Web at www.octane.uci.edu.

About University of California

The five Southern California UC campuses collectively employ over 5,600 science and technology-oriented faculty researchers, conduct $2 billion annually in extramurally funded research, generate 800 new inventions in 2004-2005 with a current active portfolio of 4,600 intellectual properties and have helped start 191 companies founded on UC technology over the last five years.

About OCTANe

OCTANe is a non-profit corporation comprised of information and biomedical technology business executives, venture capitalists, service providers, private investors and leaders from UC Irvine as well as other universities, all working together to drive innovation and accelerate the growth of technology business in Orange County and surrounding regions.

About UC Irvine Extension

As the continuing education arm of the prestigious university, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a transforming learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. UC Irvine Extension continues to provide a university-level learning experience to all students. For more information about UC Irvine Extension visit extension.uci.edu.