Harbert Institute for Innovation
The Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HIIE), originally the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) is a program established at UAB in 2013 to identify and cultivate the commercial potential of technologies developed through university research. The institute is headed by Kathy Nugent, who also serves as president of the Biotechnology Association of Alabama. She succeeded founding director David Winwood in
The center's efforts were supported by a $5 million gift from the Joy and Bill Harbert Foundation in 2015, and it was subsequently renamed in honor of Bill L. Harbert. Those funds were used in part to provide space for the institute's offices in the new Collat School of Business building.
In addition to assisting UAB researchers with management of intellectual properties under university faculty rules, the institute helps connect researchers with industries seeking to collaborate on projects. HIIE operates the UAB Research Foundation, a non-profit legal entity created in 1987 to hold intellectual property rights on behalf of the university. It also manages the UAB Commercialization Accelerator, a "pre-incubator" developed in 2017 to help launch startup businesses conceived by UAB faculty and students.
The Harbert Institute for Innovations works in partnership with Innovation Depot, the Birmingham Business Alliance, Southern Research, and the Alabama Department of Commerce.
References
- Oliver, Mike (September 30, 2013) "UAB creates institute to spur more real world experience for student scientists, entrepreneurs." The Birmingham News
- Hansen, Jeff (December 1, 2015) "Strategic investments will boost UAB research and economic development." UAB News
- Azok, Dawn (August 18, 2017) "New UAB Accelerator to power startup growth." Alabama NewsCenter
External links
- Harbert Institute for Innovation at UAB.edu