The University of Arkansas has named a new director of Technology Ventures. David Snow has been tapped to serve in the role.
Snow is succeeding interim director Bob Beitle. His effective start date is Monday, Oct. 28.
Technology Ventures is a division of the University of Arkansas Office of Economic Development. It is tasked with aiding university members – faculty, students and researchers – in the process of protecting and commercializing intellectual property developed from research or university activities.
As the director of Technology Ventures, Snow will report to UA vice chancellor for economic development Stacy Leeds.
“David brings an impressive track record of success in commercializing intellectual property at a time when the University of Arkansas is coming off a record year for invention disclosures,” Leeds said in a statement. “His expertise will help bring the outstanding work of our researchers to the marketplace and help the university build on what is already a $2.2 billion annual impact on the state’s economy.”
Most recently, Snow was the senior managing director for Texas Tech University’s Office of Research Commercialization. According to a UA news release, Texas Tech’s Office of Research Commercialization quadrupled its number of licenses, option agreements, invention disclosures and licensing revenue per year since 2015.
Snow will be joining Technology Ventures on the heels of its most successful year. The division had 47 invention disclosures during fiscal year 2019 – a university record and a 52 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.
During fiscal year 2019, university members also filed 54 patent applications – an increase of 23 percent from 2018.
“I am absolutely thrilled to join the University of Arkansas team,” Snow said. “There is already a great group of people now in Technology Ventures, and they have begun the process of improving inventor access to university commercialization resources. We will continue to build upon this effort by positioning Technology Ventures as a primary access point for the Northwest Arkansas innovation ecosystem. By partnering with university and community stakeholders like inventors, the Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub and the Sam M. Walton College of Business, the Arkansas Research and Technology Park, the Walton Family Foundation, the Northwest Arkansas Council and so many others, Technology Ventures is positioned to help do something truly amazing.”
Snow obtained a Ph.D. in chemistry, a master’s degree in electro-analytical chemistry and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Texas Tech University.
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Images courtesy of the University of Arkansas