FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 18, 2022
UH OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION
ANNOUNCES NEW HIRES
Matthew Kobayashi and Dr. Rebecca Chung
to Support Innovation and Commercialization Efforts
HONOLULU – The University of Hawai‘i’s (UH) Office of Innovation and Commercialization (OIC) is pleased to welcome Matthew Kobayashi as its new associate director of innovation programs, and Technology Licensing Associate Dr. Rebecca Chung.
Matthew Kobayashi will be responsible for: leading the formation and development of the UH Ventures fund; providing management and strategic advice to OIC’s portfolio companies; developing business opportunities; marketing UH technologies to corporations in the U.S. and in the Asia Pacific region; and creating partnerships on innovation funding opportunities between UH faculty and corporations.
After practicing law for a prominent local firm, Kobayashi has spent more than 20 years in business development, finance, lobbying and contract sourcing with a broad range of companies in defense, dual-use technology, facility management software, cybersecurity, solar power, waste to energy and waste management. Specializing in aerospace and energy business development with an emphasis on Asia, his list of previous clients included a number of universities, NASA, the Department of Defense, and other government agencies.
“Matt has an impressive skillset and broad range of industry contacts, and we look forward to having him bolster OIC’s efforts in creating a vibrant innovation and commercialization ecosystem at UH,” said Vassilis L. Syrmos, vice president for research and innovation.
Dr. Rebecca Chung will collaborate with UH faculty and researchers to strategize and accelerate the translation of their innovative discoveries to commercialization opportunities to grow the local entrepreneurship ecosystem. She will also develop and lead innovation and entrepreneurship-focused programs to shape the academic research environment to enhance impact and enable innovation to thrive.
Dr. Chung received her PhD in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on Innovation & Entrepreneurship from Stevens Institute of Technology, where she conducted orthopaedic translational research that led to co-invention of patented medical device technologies, supported by the institution’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship and National Science Foundation. More recently, she completed her NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, where her research contributions to advancing the musculoskeletal field have been recognized nationally and internationally by the National Institute of Health, Orthopaedic Research Society, and Orthoregeneration Foundation.
“We’re excited to welcome Rebecca to our team,” said OIC Interim Director Steven Auerbach. “Her hybrid background and experience working at the intersection of disciplines as an academic researcher, innovator, and educator at prominent academic institutions will bring critical insights and guidance to synergize collaboration and forge meaningful partnerships that advance innovation and entrepreneurship across the UH community.”
# # #
About the Office of Innovation and Commercialization
The University of Hawai‘i (UH) Office of Innovation and Commercialization (OIC) bridges UH and the community by building partnerships and opportunities around transformative innovation and entrepreneurship. Under the Office of the Vice President of Research and Innovation, OIC manages, protects, commercializes and markets UH intellectual property (IP) and technology assets developed across its 10 campuses statewide.
About UH Ventures
In 2017, the Hawai‘i State Legislature passed Acts 38 and 39, establishing a statutory framework to support renewed efforts by the University of Hawai‘i (UH) to contribute to the development of a vibrant innovation ecosystem. As a result, UH’s Office of the Vice President of Research and Innovation (OVPRI) created UH Ventures LLC under its Office of Innovation and Commercialization (OIC). The company’s role is to unify innovation and entrepreneurship efforts across the University’s 10 statewide campuses, and maximize its resources in supporting UH-affiliated startup companies with identifying strategic opportunities to facilitate, promote, commercialize and manage UH-generated discoveries and inventions.
