TLA Hires New Director For Office Of Technology Transfer

Tech Launch Arizona has announced that Doug Hockstad is the new director of the revitalized Office of Technology Transfer at the University of Arizona. The Office of Technology Transfer helps to accomplish the broader UA mission by providing services to faculty, streamlining the technology commercialization process and finding applications for University research.

Hockstad joins the UA after having served as associate director of software and engineering licensing in the University of Michigan's Office of Technology Transfer. In this role, along with his primary responsibility for managing software and other copyright-related intellectual property created across the entire Michigan campus, he also managed the office's information technology requirements and served as the liaison between OTT and the College of Engineering.

Tech Launch Arizona’s Executive Director David Allen said: “I am delighted that Doug has joined us from Michigan. The University of Michigan is an excellent example of a university that did a turnaround in technology transfer, and Doug was there from the beginning and a high-level participant."

Hockstad has more than 20 years of product management, marketing and sales experience in high-tech markets, working predominantly with software companies. His accomplishments prior to joining the University of Michigan include managing the creation and rollout of a multi-million dollar new software product line, working in marketing to revitalize brand awareness, and developing new sales channels.

He has spent the last 11 years building Michigan's software licensing portfolio and program, the last six of which have been as a member of the executive management team.

Tech Launch Arizona represents a new approach to managing the commercialization of technologies at the UA. The UA created Tech Launch Arizona, or TLA, to advance UA discoveries into intellectual property, inventions and technology. TLA represents a prioritization, restructuring and resource enhancement of the UA’s technology commercialization and industry-sponsored research efforts.

TLA will move knowledge and inventions developed by students and faculty into the market, with the primary goal of unifying UA researchers and the business community to significantly enhance the impact of University research, technological innovation and technology park assets. Under its umbrella, Executive Director David N. Allen oversees UA offices and divisions related to intellectual property, proof of concept and technology licensing, reporting to UA President Ann Weaver Hart.

TLA also works directly with technology companies through the UA’s Office of Corporate and Business Relations, Office of University Research Parks and Arizona Center for Innovation.