Nominations for Innovator of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

Colleagues,

The note that follows is from Billy Houghteling, the Executive Director of the Office of Technology Transfer. Please send any nominations to your head, or if you like, to me for the dean's consideration.

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The Springboard Initiatve and the Office of Technology Transfer is pleased to accept nominations for our Innovator of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year awards. These awards are presented annually to a faculty, staff, or student inventor/entrepreneur that has demonstrated excellence in innovation and/or entrepreneurship. Previous winners include:

• 2010 Inventor of Year - Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi
  
• 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year - Dr. Tom Miller

Previous winners are not eligible again for 5 years. Each college Dean or Executive Officer may nominate no more two (2) candidates for each award. Each Department Head may nominate no more than one (1) individual for each award. Nominees should demonstrate excellence related to either innovation or entrepreneurship. Examples of innovation excellence include, but are not limited to, industry collaboration resulting in patents and licenses, inventions that have resulted in issued patents that have been licensed, products to market, etc. Examples of entrepreneurial excellence include founding a start-up company based on NC State owned technology that has created jobs and has made significant strides towards commercialization, developing programs and promoting entrepreneurship at NC State, etc. Activities related to social and sustainable innovation and/or entrepreneurship will also be considered (e.g. a successful non-profit activity or organization). The Office of Technology Transfer is happy to provide you specific data related to invention disclosures submitted, patents issued, licenses, products commercialized, companies launched, etc. in support of your nomination(s).

Nominations for both awards are due no later than September 30, 2011. Nominations should be sent to Billy Houghteling, Executive Director of the Office of Technology Transfer (billy_houghteling@ncsu.edu). A selection committee will choose one individual to receive each award and the recipient will be recognized at the upcoming NC State Celebration of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,
Billy Houghteling

Executive Director
Office of Technology Transfer
(919) 515-7199
billy_houghteling@ncsu.edu