“When the chips are down, everybody can work together.”

For the past 23 years, Dr. Anne Lane has worked at UCLB, prior to which she worked for a spin-out company while completing her MBA, prior to which she was a postdoc at Harvard. With these kinds of credentials, it’s no wonder she has risen to the top of the commercialization space as CEO of the prestigious technology transfer company.

In this episode, Anne shares her thoughts on the power of collaboration between universities, private, and public organizations, and how TenU (which she previously chaired) has helped foster international collaboration and innovation. We also delve into the various reasons why UCLB has been so successful in commercializing technologies that have come out of UCL (including their strong entrepreneurial culture, investor networks and translational funding), how technology transfer at UCLB has evolved over time, and how impactful universities really are! 

In This Episode:

[00:41] Introducing Dr. Anne Lane, CEO of UCLB.  

[02:07] Where Anne’s interest in technology commercialization originated. 

[03:21] Anne’s first job in the commercialization realm. 

[04:36] What Anne loves about her job. 

[05:58] Intersecting factors that Anne believes have allowed UCLB to achieve the success that is has. 

[09:18] Where UCLB’s focus lies and the core teams that the company is made up of.  

[12:00] Initiatives UCLB is involved in that support entrepreneurship and innovation. 

[13:12] One of UCLB’s most effective funding collaborations. 

[16:01] How TenU has been instrumental in fostering international collaboration and innovation. 

[18:35] Anne’s thoughts on why enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion is so important for an organization (and how they are creating an environment that cultivates this). 

[20:48] How UCLB has progressed over the past 20 years and how Anne sees it continuing to evolve in the future. 

[22:41] The difference between the US and European approaches to patenting. 

[23:30] A key lesson learning during the pandemic. 

[23:47] A statistic that highlights the impact of universities on the economy. 

[25:27] Advice for anyone interested in pursuing a career in technology transfer.  

Resources:

Dr. Anne Lane on LinkedIn

UCLB