Director, Translation and Venture Development

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Director, Translation and Venture Development

ERIK | Technology Commercialization

The Director of Translation and Venture Development provides strategic leadership for Ohio State's research translation and venture development activities as a co-equal pillar alongside Licensing and Operations and Innovation Investment Management. This role is responsible for advancing innovations from invention disclosure through translational development, venture formation, and capital readiness—ultimately transforming university research into commercially viable ventures that create societal impact. Working in integrated partnership with the Director of Licensing and Operations and the Director of Innovation Investment Management, the Director leads programs, services, and ecosystem partnerships that increase commercialization readiness and venture creation.

Opportunities enter the innovation pipeline through Licensing, with Translation and Venture Development providing structured support for translational advancement, venture development, and commercialization readiness. Together, the three pillars operate through an integrated governance framework that aligns resource allocation, milestone advancement, and commercialization outcomes. This position has direct authority over venture formation strategy, founder development, and translation portfolio decisions. It operates in close coordination with Licensing & Operations on intellectual property strategy and with Innovation Investment Management on investment readiness, with explicit decision frameworks to ensure rapid progression without compromising due diligence.

Direct leadership of functions including Translation Program Manager, Program Specialist, Venture Development Lead, Venture Analyst, Venture Platform & Ecosystem Engagement Lead, and Expert Talent Coordinator. Oversight may also include EIRs, MIRs, Technical Project Managers, Student Associates, and external subject matter experts. Systematically removes barriers to entrepreneurship—bureaucratic friction, decision delays, and structural obstacles. Empower innovators and team with rapid decision-making and clear pathways to venture formation.

Operates as a co-equal member of the Innovation and Commercialization leadership team, reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President, Innovation and Strategic Ventures, and collaborates closely with the Sr. Director of Licensing and Operations and the Director of Innovation Investment Management to ensure effective coordination and integrated decision-making across the commercialization ecosystem.

Shared Commercialization Outcomes

• Increased invention-to-translation-project conversion (with defined cycle-time targets: baseline vs. target).
• Increased progression of funded projects through commercialization milestones within planned timelines (% on schedule).
• Increased transition of translation projects into licensing opportunities and venture formation.
• Increased venture formation with strong founder teams and validated business models.
• Improved venture-stage commercialization cycle time and speed to market.
• Strong integrated collaboration across Translation and Venture Development, Licensing and Operations, and Innovation Investment Management, with clear decision frameworks and rapid resolution of conflicts
• Increased follow-on translational and private capital raised by portfolio ventures.

• Increased faculty participation in translation and venture development programs, with diversity goals for founder demographics.
• Expanded mentor, entrepreneur, investor, alumni, and industry engagement; growth in EIR/MIR participation and quality;
• Increased number of commercialization-ready opportunities progressing to venture formation.
• Successful completion of stage-gated project milestones, with [X]% of ventures achieving funding/revenue milestones within 18 months of launch.
• Increased utilization of venture development resources and founder education programs.
• Reduction in decision-making cycle time for translational…