About
The Office of Licensing and Commercialization has four core functions related to university owned innovations: 1) Innovation Assessment, 2) Intellectual Property Protection and Management, 3) Commercialization, and 4) Licensing. The roadmap below outlines these core functions and how an idea can translate into a marketable product and/or service.
>The Office of Licensing and Commercialization was originally founded in 1998. Since that time ECU has reviewed over 800 inventions, brought in more than $8.1 million in licensing income, assisted researchers in obtaining over $2 million in commercialization grant funding, and helped startups attract more than $30 million in outside investments.
A key philosophy of L&C is to get industry input and feedback to help de-risk the innovation. This approach generates a streamlined strategy of technical and commercialization milestones that need to be achieved in order to reach success. By adopting this approach, L&C has been able to achieve an average licensing rate of over 70% within 3 years of the original patent filing. In addition to patentable innovations, L&C has enhanced its focus on innovations that can be copyrighted and/or trademarked.
Team
To drive ideas and innovations toward commercialization takes a team approach. Each L&C team member is cross-trained in different aspects of the innovation and commercialization development process, and contributes to developing a sound commercialization strategy to reach success. Our team is as follows:
Dr. Carlyle Rogers serves as the Director of Licensing and Commercialization. As a native of Eastern North Carolina, Dr. Rogers knows that the seed of innovation when given the right care can transform the region’s economy and identity into an engine of economic prosperity. He works diligently to facilitate the development and to increase the visibility of inventions, innovations and startups coming out of ECU. With a PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the Brody School of Medicine at ECU (2013), Dr. Rogers, is a former recipient of the prestigious Howard Bremer Scholarship from the Association of University Technology Managers and in collaboration with the ECU Graduate School established the first Three Minute Thesis event at ECU. Dr. Rogers has performed over 700 innovation assessments, executed over 400 agreements, and assisted faculty in receiving over $1.8 million in funding related to commercialization and innovation. In addition to his licensing experience, Dr. Rogers has developed 14 web based software applications and has mentored over 15 startup companies. Expertise: Commercialization Strategy, Licensing, Contract Negotiation, Lean Launch Methodology, and Innovation De-Risking.
Lucretia Davis
Business Manager
Lucretia Davis is the Business and Intellectual Property Compliance Manager for the Office of Licensing and Commercialization at ECU. Lucretia is an expert in the Bayh Dole Act, Federal Reporting Compliance, and iEdison. She works tirelessly to review federal grants, and works with faculty to ensure compliance with reporting inventions. In addition to working with faculty, Lucretia reviews startup licenses and annual reports to ensure licensees are reaching their technical and commercialization milestones. She has over twenty years of experience in technology transfer, supply chain, and data management. Lucretia has a Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Olive College in Business Administration. Expertise: Bayh Dole Act, Federal Compliance, iEdison, Income Distribution, and Agreement Compliance.
Mark Foley
Licensing Associate
Mark Foley is the Licensing Associate for the Office of Licensing and Commercialization at ECU. He has twenty years of experience in the technology transfer field. Prior to joining ECU, Mark spent seven years as a biology and general science teacher in his native state of Indiana. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Taylor University and an MBA from ECU. Expertise: Licensing, Contract Negotiation, Patentability Assessment, and Agreement Review (MTAs and CDAs).
Sirin Cakir
Licensing Analyst
Dr. Sirin Cakir embarked on her academic journey with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey. Seeking to deepen her knowledge, she pursued a master’s degree in biotechnology with MBA modules at Middle Tennessee State University. Following valuable work experience in the field of NanoScience, she made the decision to pursue doctoral studies in Biomedical Science with a specialization in Physiology at East Carolina University. Her diverse academic background equipped with a comprehensive understanding of biological sciences provides her with a solid foundation for contributing to cutting-edge research and advancements in the field. Expertise: Innovation assessment
Grace Rains
I-Corps Project Coordinator
Grace Rains is the I-Corps Program Coordinator at ECU. Through the I-Corps program, she guides innovators through the program based on her own successful experience. With a degree from ECU in Business Management, focusing on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, she brings practical knowledge to teaching program content. Beyond academics, her commitment to fostering entrepreneurial success is evident in her thriving personal venture. Expertise: I-Corps, Customer Discovery, and Pitch Competition.
In addition to the staff above, L&C has several Innovation Ambassadors that scout for new technologies, work with faculty on developing a business case, conduct customer interviews, and represent L&C at networking events. Below are our current Innovation Ambassadors.
Dymon Pickett
Graduate Student
Criminal Justice
Brittany Trotter
Graduate Student
Bioenergetics
Jacquelyn Moore
Graduate Student
Coastal Studies
Sara Lowe
Graduate Student
Microbiology & Immunology
Rachel Bruns
Graduate Student
Engineering
Amber Faircloth
Graduate Student
Communication Sciences & Disorders
