Entrepreneurial transfer – Labs tap former business owners to identify tech transfer opportunities

New Mexico has a lot riding on its two national laboratories if the state’s technology economy is ever going to achieve its full potential.

Sandia and Los Alamos National laboratories are cited by economic development officials at all levels as being the centerpiece of that economy. They likely will be the key drivers behind making New Mexico a leading destination for high-tech research and development in industries ranging from microsystems to biotechnology, officials say.

But the process of commercializing the labs’ technical assets — commonly referred to as technology transfer — is hardly a short and easy road. Convincing researchers to trade their well-paying, secure jobs for the high-risk life of an entrepreneur isn’t easy. And identifying promising technologies contained within each lab can, especially to an outsider, seem like looking for a needle in a high-tech haystack.

With those considerations in mind, officials at both laboratories are tapping local entrepreneurs and leveraging their expertise to expand tech transfer efforts and local investors say they are pleased by the move.

Clay Holtzman
NMBW Staff

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