Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From the University of Florida: 

The University of Florida (UF) has once again set new records in key metrics for innovation and technology transfer during FY25, which ended on June 30. UF Innovate | Tech Licensing reported significant increases in technology disclosures, licenses executed, patent applications, and material transfer agreements.

The university registered 446 technology disclosures, a substantial increase from the 369 disclosures reported in the previous fiscal year. This record number of disclosures is a critical indicator of the translational research being conducted at UF.

“Our record number of technology disclosures is a great sign,” said Jim O’Connell, Assistant Vice President of Commercialization at the University. “Everything we do starts with those disclosures. They are the raw material for potential licenses and start-ups, everything.”

In addition to technology disclosures, UF executed 131 licenses, up from 121 in the previous fiscal year, and 859 material transfer agreements, a slight increase from 848.

To protect the inventions created at UF, the university also filed 455 patent applications, an increase from 418. On average, it takes two to three years before a patent is granted; according to data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This fiscal year, the USPTO granted UF 125 patents.

The number of start-ups created remained steady at nine, maintaining the university’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship.

From the Georgia Institute of Technology:

The Georgia Institute of Technology has released new data dashboards showcasing the impact of its growing partnership with five U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratories (NL). The dashboards highlight significant achievements in joint research, funding, and innovation, demonstrating each Georgia Tech-NL partnership’s commitment to addressing critical global challenges.

“This new tool will enable researchers to find existing National lab collaborations and guide administrators to key Georgia Tech national lab projects to be able to provide strategic investments and support,” said Vice President of Interdisciplinary Research Julia Kubanek.

The dashboards offer a comprehensive view of each partnership’s contributions and milestones. Key highlights include:

1. Research Impact: With dozens of joint publications per lab across various disciplines and hundreds of citations worldwide, Georgia Tech’s NL partnerships impact both academia and industry.
2. Mutual Investment: Along with cross-functional research impact, Georgia Tech’s strategic partnership with NLs mutually benefit both entities monetarily, with millions awarded to Georgia Tech by NLs and reciprocal funding from Georgia Tech to strengthen and foster collaborative opportunities.
3. Innovation Leadership: Joint patents and NL-cited Georgia Tech patents driving real-world technological advancements are featured, indicating the presence Georgia Tech’s NL collaborations have in emerging intellectual property across the STEM continuum.
4. Collaborative Research Areas: With mutual interests including advanced computing, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, cybersecurity, and sustainability, the dashboards highlight various areas that are explored within the Georgia Tech-NL collaborations to drive innovation that will mitigate prevalent barriers and, ultimately, impact society for the better.

The cooperating labs include:

1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory;
2. National Renewable Energy Laboratory;
3. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory;
4. Sandia National Laboratory; and
5. Savannah River National Laboratory.

From the University of South Carolina:

The University of South Carolina (USC) is joining Campus Compact, the largest and oldest coalition of higher education institutions dedicated to civic and community engagement.

Joining the organization provides USC with scholarship resources, national networking and professional development opportunities, partnerships with groups like AmeriCorps VISTA, and recognition opportunities for students. USC will also gain special interest programming to enhance the university’s already robust community engagement efforts.

The university is one of just two in-state institutions in the State of South Carolina that have Campus Compact membership, joining The Citadel and USC Beaufort. It joins five other Southeastern Conference schools in the network alongside Auburn, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas.

From the University of Arkansas at Little Rock:

Students at the University of Arkansas (UA) at Little Rock will have the unique opportunity this fall to learn how to build and launch a start-up through a new interdisciplinary course offered in collaboration with Forge Institute’s Embers Xcelerator program.

The new course, Tech Entrepreneurship, will be led by Marla Johnson, UA Little Rock’s tech Entrepreneur-in-Residence, and guided by seasoned experts from the Forge Institute. The course provides full academic credit and gives students access to industry leaders, mentors, and real-world problem-solving experiences.

Students will spend the semester turning their start-up ideas into viable business concepts. With guidance from instructors and mentors, they will explore topics such as product development, customer discovery, branding, legal structures, and investment strategy. The course culminates in a professional pitch presentation, giving students a chance to showcase their venture to a panel of experts.

From Shippensburg University:

With the help of a federal grant, Shippensburg University is creating an entrepreneurial hub. The school was awarded a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support a renovation project to transform Kriner Hall, a former dining hall.

When renovations are completed, it will become the new home of the already established Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, The Mr. and Mrs. Milton K. Morgan III Makerspace, and the Small Business and Development Center.

Also joining the hub is the newly established Small Business Internship Initiative. The school stated that the new program will connect small businesses with college students throughout the region, establishing a pipeline of paid small business internship opportunities for students.

The $700,000 federal award represents 12.7 percent of the total project, school officials added.

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