Sunday, May 20, 2007

How University of Florida became a big player in tech startups

Article in Business Week that you should read. I have written in this space before that SIU needs to have someone drop a $1B into the system and the only place to get it, is from patents. Now Business Week details how University of Florida has become a player in the patent game. SIUC needs to pursue this path.

There is a sidebar in the magazine that lists three ideas to summarize -
  • Rethink the Purpose of Research
  • Enlist Outsiders
  • Bring in Capital
I have found that interaction with SIU isn't worth my time and SIU has managed to drive away several people, in the last couple of years that I know of, that wanted to help with this exact thing.

It would take real management vision to even begin down this path and I know that SIU doesn't have it now. But maybe the new Chancellor and Poshard will try to make this happen?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

back in 2000, i had an experience with SIU and patents. i felt that it might be useful to send GPS information using packet data technology.

It was suggested that i go to the SBIR program, through SIU. i had a faculty contact in the Electrical Engineering department.

Short story? i spend years impoverished while the technology was developed. The SBIR grants had gone to Republican corporations, to engage in the exact research that i proposed. i went to DCI Biologicals and sold my blood plasma until my serum protein levels got too low, then learned to live without.

Sooo, those of you who know me well enough to see the horrible track mark on my right arm, be assured it was from the lack of economy, and not luxurious intevenous drugs.

i won't be asking SIU for help again.

PeterG said...

I think everything you wrote, including the track marks, is the way that dealing with SIU research and patent group works (notice, I have called for the head of research to be fired in this space already). My forehead was getting flat(ter), before I gave up on the SIU bureaucracy.

Thanks for writing in, you have captured the flavor of this problem very well.