October 16, 2007
Purdue Research Foundation official to speak at international conference on financing technology based startups
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -
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The conference, which is sponsored by the International Business Forum, is focused on starting, building and financing technology-based projects and spinouts from universities, national labs and corporations. The forum is the leading presenter of venture capital and private equity conferences in the United States.
Steven Gerrish, director of business development at Purdue Research Foundation, will take part in a panel discussion on "Latest Initiatives on How and Why Venture Capitalists are Funding University and Research Spinouts." Others on the panel are Fred Farina, assistant vice president at California Institute of Technology; Keith Crandell, managing director for ARCH Venture Partners; and William Wiesler, director of new ventures at Yale University.
The panel discussion will address the following topics:
* What universities are doing to bridge the innovation gap in terms of committing their own capital.
* The types of returns investors and universities should expect.
* How universities measure success.
* How tech transfer enhances the venture capital model
* Successful models for tech transfer executives and venture capitalists
As director of business development, Gerrish accelerates the development of new startups with rapid growth opportunities surrounding Purdue University-developed technologies. He has assisted in developing or helped in expanding more than 17 startup companies to more than $146 million in market value during the past three years and helped raise more than $39 million in private equity for Purdue Research Park companies.
Gerrish serves on the board of directors or as an observer for nine of the 17 companies he assisted in developing or helped expand. These companies include Quadraspec Inc., Simulex Inc., Simulex India Inc., Moerae Matrix Inc. and Nanovis Inc.
The 651-acre Purdue Research Park has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park is home to more than 140 companies. About 90 of these firms are technology-related and another 57 are incubator businesses. The park was ranked No. 1 in 2004 for university-affiliated research parks and received the 2005 Outstanding Commercialization Award, both from the Association of University Research Parks. The park's companies also have received numerous recognitions, including a 2006 MIRA Award: Innovation of the Year for Purdue Research Park/Quadraspec Inc. and a 2005 CoreNet Global Innovators Award finalist.
The Purdue Research Park is part of the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic development. In addition to the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, the foundation has established or is currently constructing technology parks in other locations around Indiana including Merrillville, New Albany and Indianapolis.To the Purdue Research Park, http://www.purdueresearchpark.com
Purdue Research Foundation marketing and communication contact:
Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-4192 (office), (765) 413-6031 (mobile), casequin@prf.org