TechPipeline Impact Awards

Recognize Colleagues Who Make Your Team Better Every Day

The TechPipeline Impact Awards recognize the impressive office talent who make exceptional and meaningful contributions to the technology transfer profession in six categories. Technology transfer is truly a team effort; the team’s success is driven by individuals who excel in their critical roles that enable the wins.

The Impact Awards are our industry’s only program for universities and research institutions to recognize team members for their dedication and contributions to technology transfer.

View the current winners here. Nominate one or more individuals who represent excellence and commitment in their role (self-nominations are also encouraged). The nomination process is simple: briefly describe the nominee’s commitment and accomplishments in the short form below.

Submissions deadline is October 30, 2026.

Nomination Form

Impact Award Categories

Excellence in Office Operations

Operations staff are the backbone of a successful tech transfer operation. From navigating myriad compliance requirements to proactively managing deadlines to chasing down signatures on campus and so much more, operations staff are often the unsung heroes whose skills and dedication enable licensing staff and office leadership to shine. This award recognizes those individuals that enable the success of their institution through their attention to detail and behind-the-scenes efforts.

Excellence in Community Contribution

The Community award recognizes individuals who extend a helping and supportive hand beyond their institution and across the technology transfer industry. These individuals organize conference panels, host webinars, and regularly lend their experience and expertise to help solve challenges in the profession. These individuals see the value in sharing ideas and expertise to “raise all boats” across the tech transfer community.

Excellence in Licensing

At the end of the day, the primary currency of tech transfer is licensing institutional inventions to benefit society. Excellence in Licensing seeks to award an individual who exceeds expectations with a highly creative license(s) or has demonstrated continued impact with their ability to identify prospects and execute deals effectively.

Excellence in Marketing and Business Development

Marketing teams support all types of technologies and initiatives, often with only 1 or 2 staff. They are tasked with faculty communications, promoting inventions, connecting with potential licensees, and even serving as the surrogate marketing department for institutional start-ups. The Excellence in Marketing award highlights an individual who has led successful marketing and communications programs to elevate the office’s recognition, brand, and industry engagement.

Excellence in Financial Operations

Finance professionals represent a highly specialized role in the tech transfer office, tasked with balancing numerous parties’ interests (inventors, licensees, other institutions) while meeting timely and complex accounting requirements. From filing fees to issuing distributions and every transaction in between, this award acknowledges professionals who keep it all organized and running smoothly.

Excellence in Legal Counsel (Internal or External Counsel)

Smart and dedicated legal counsel is critical to ensuring a productive yet protective licensing practice. This award identifies individuals who have served as wise and practical advisors to their tech transfer office(s) in navigating intellectual property processes and/or dealing with challenging legal cases while always protecting the institution’s interests. Nominations can be for institutional counsel or attorneys at external law firms working with your institution.

Make your nomination today

* Indicates required field. Partial nomination forms cannot be saved. Click here to download the nomination form template.

Submissions deadline is October 30, 2026.

Nominator

Your first name *

Your last name *

Your email *

Your organization *

Your title *

Nominee

(Don’t forget, self-nominations are highly encouraged!)

First name *

Last name *

Title

LinkedIn Link

Organization *

Organization Type *

Nomination Category *

Background

Equivalent to a bio summary (<400 words) *

Nomination

What were the nominee’s contributions to the profession (<500 words) *

Must be efforts within the last 5 years
Must be beyond the typical duties of the position
Should be activities that are new or innovative
Should describe how the nominee’s ideas and efforts transformed processes or drove meaningful outcomes

What was the impact of those contributions to the ecosystem (<500 words) *

Must include description of the outcome of the activity
Should explain how the nominee’s strategic contributions and measurable results added value to their institution and/or the profession

2025 Impact Award Winners

Excellence in Office Operations

Intellectual Property Paralegal UNeMed / University of Nebraska Medical Center

Excellence in Community Contribution

Director of Technology Transfer and Development Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Excellence in Licensing

Senior Licensing Associate Georgia Tech

Excellence in Marketing and Business Development

Sr. Manager of Technology Marketing & Business Development Rutgers University TTO

Excellence in Financial Operations

Finance and Compliance Officer University of Kentucky

Excellence in Legal Counsel (Internal or External Counsel)

Program Director-Intellectual Property and Technology Transactions The University of Texas at Austin

2024 Impact Award Winners

Excellence in Office Operations

Intellectual Property Manager Washington University in St. Louis

Compliance Manager Washington University in St. Louis

Excellence in Community Contribution

Chief Strategy Officer Sr Vice President/Dean-Medicine Tulane University

Excellence in Licensing

Licensing Manager, Sciences and Engineering University of New Hampshire

Excellence in Marketing and Business Development

Assistant Director, Marketing & Communications Tech Launch Arizona The University of Arizona

Excellence in Financial Operations

Compliance and Finance Specialist University of Kansas

Excellence in Legal Counsel

Partner Casimir Jones, S.C.