In February 2024, Academic Partnership Engagement Experiment (APEX) marked its presence at the prestigious AUTM Annual Meeting held at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. The event, a rendezvous for technology transfer professionals worldwide, offered a platform for networking, deal-making, and insightful discussions from industry luminaries.
Engagement Dynamics:
Despite not having a booth presence, APEX delegate Brendan Thoreson, Process Navigation Team Lead, to attend the event, engaging with technology transfer professionals from universities and research institutes. This allowed APEX to position itself amidst a diverse audience and gain insights into the latest trends in technology transfer.
Strategic Importance:
For APEX, participating in AUTM is strategic. It provides a unique opportunity to connect with universities, spotlight our academic-focused services like team matchmaking and the STTReamline program, and participate in educational sessions aligned with our mission.
Takeaways and Insights:
Industry Dynamics: A significant highlight was the large attendance, indicating the event's influence in the technology transfer landscape.
Industry Focus: Industry-centric sessions leaned towards large firms, creating a niche for APEX to explore collaborations with small businesses and government funding in future events.
Content Emphasis: A notable observation was the emphasis on biotech and medical research, prompting consideration for tailoring our engagement strategy accordingly.
Recommendations for the Future:
As APEX looks ahead, considerations for the 2025 AUTM Annual Meeting include exploring booth exhibition strategies to increase visibility, investigating speaking slots, and actively engaging with AUTM members.
Conclusion:
APEX's presence at AUTM 2024 was a testament to our commitment to fostering connections and staying abreast of trends in the technology transfer landscape. As we reflect on the event, we are poised to leverage these insights to shape our future engagements and collaborations.
Stay tuned for more updates as APEX continues its journey in unlocking opportunities and connecting the dots in the dynamic realm of technology transfer.
How to Work With APEX
If you are an academic or industry innovator with promising ideas or intellectual property that you'd like to commercialize, are interested in collaborating with other innovators across the Nation on research projects, or you need assistance and/or academic or industry partners in pursuit of U.S. Air Force funding, then we want to hear from you! https://apex-innovates.org/contact-academic-partnership-engagement-experiment
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About Academic Partnership Engagement Experiment (APEX)
APEX cultivates innovation by expanding the American research enterprise for the Department of the Air Force by engaging, connecting, and enabling innovators across academia, industry, and the Department of Defense. APEX utilizes data analytics to identify transformational operational defense solutions in academia, industry, and government sectors; provides process navigation services for academic teams and small businesses and enhances cross-sector engagement by providing direct connections to the technology needs of multiple Department of Defense programs.