Belief in the power of innovation and entrepreneurship, and the quest for creativity and fulfillment in work, has inspired millions of people worldwide to eschew an orthodox corporate career for the dream of creating a new venture. Progress in science and technology is lauded by policy makers and corporate leaders as the key to solving critical economic, environmental and social problems, and technology venturing is now celebrated as the key to wealth generation and personal advancement. “Innovation” has thus become the leitmotif of success for startups, established corporations and public policy makers. These trends evoke a number of important challenges that are the focus for research and teaching in our Chair:
- What knowledge and skill do individuals need to overcome the obstacles to success when launching a technology startup?
- How can established corporations renew their competitive advantage through artfully managing the innovation process?
- How can local communities harness the potential of technological innovation to stimulate local economic development and employment generation?
- How can the direction of technological change be managed to maximize social benefit and minimize harmful human and environmental impact?
- What can we as individual human beings personally do to make the world a better place through leadership in the business of technology?
Our work addresses innovation management in both new ventures and established companies, and on the transfer of created knowledge between academia and business. We are especially interested in strategy for enterprises and projects based on the development and commercialization of new technology, and in how intellectual property may be managed to support innovative enterprises, both locally and internationally.
The Chair’s goals emphasize realizing an intensive theory-practice transfer in both research and teaching. The teaching programs are interactive and practical; our lectures are supported by our wide network of entrepreneurs and innovators in the market who are engaged in interesting co-teaching with our professors.
Feel free to contact us, if you would like to get more information about innovation management and entrepreneurship.