CONTACT:
Jeanan Yasiri Moe, Director of Strategic Communications
[email protected] | 608.960.9892
Mission to create “Best in Class” tech transfer venture fund
MADISON, Wis. – WARF Ventures has officially kicked off. A hundred local entrepreneurs, investors and researchers – from food science to synthetic biology – gathered for the launch event on April 23 at the Discovery Building.
Chief Venture Officer Mike Partsch will manage the fund, which will make early-stage investments and provide strategic guidance to young companies.
The fund will focus primarily, but not exclusively, on WARF licensees. University software startups, for example, as well as companies affiliated with UW through alumni or other ties may also represent promising investment opportunities.
While the potential field is large – the fund is not confined to any market segment – Partsch said he looks for passion and a spirit of collaboration in potential partners.
“Ideally the person will come to me and say, ‘I want to start a company because I think this can be commercialized. Help me do that. Help me identify a CEO. Help me think about milestones and let’s develop a plan.’”
Mike Partsch Office Hours Beginning the Week of April 21:
*Discovery Building (rm 1130): Wednesdays: 1-4 p.m. Preregister or drop in.
*UW Health Project Isthmus (rm K6/110): Thursdays: 1-4 p.m. Preregister or drop in.
About WARF
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) helps steward the cycle of research, discovery, commercialization and investment for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Founded in 1925 as an independent, nonprofit foundation, WARF manages more than 2,000 patents and an investment portfolio of $2.7 billion as it funds university research, obtains patents for campus discoveries and licenses inventions to industry. For more information, visit warf.org and view WARF’s Cycle of Innovation.
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