Managing Up: Communicating Tech Transfer Value to Institutional Leadership

Your TTO generates measurable impact and value—but does your institutional leadership truly understand it?

Many TTOs struggle with a critical gap: the ability to communicate their impact in language that resonates with provosts, chancellors, and boards of trustees. When you can’t bridge that gap, your office becomes a cost center instead of a strategic asset. Your initiatives get underfunded. Your team lacks institutional support. And your real impact remains invisible to decision-makers.

Join our panel of tech transfer leaders and professionals as we explore frameworks for translating TTO metrics, outcomes, and value propositions into compelling narratives that capture executive attention and drive organizational change.

Key Discussion Topics:

• Translating TTO Impact into Executive Language: Moving beyond standard metrics—how to frame sponsor compliance, startup creation, societal impact, and research partnerships in terms of institutional priorities—reputation building, faculty retention, revenue generation, and economic development.
• Building Data-Driven Value Stories: Discover which metrics matter most to different stakeholder groups and what types of dashboards and reports best tell a cohesive story about your office’s contribution to institutional goals.
• Developing Influence Across Institutional Silos: Learn about the relationships and communication strategies that elevate your voice in strategic planning conversations. Position your TTO as an essential partner—not just a support function.
• Navigating Political and Organizational Dynamics: Understand how to present data without defensiveness, advocate for resources strategically, and align TTO priorities with institutional imperatives.

Who Should Attend:

• Tech Transfer Directors and Senior Leaders responsible for executive communications and strategic planning
• Data Analysts and Operations Professionals managing TTO metrics, reporting, and performance analysis
• Communications Specialists developing external narratives and internal stakeholder messaging
• Mid-Level Managers working toward leadership roles and seeking to amplify their institutional influence
• Anyone in a TTO Role struggling to secure resources, gain executive buy-in, or clarify their office’s strategic value

Program Leaders