New Head of 抖M女仆 Tech Runway Announced
Rhys L. Williams has joined 抖M女仆 as its new associate vice president and managing director of 抖M女仆 Tech Runway.
Rhys L. Williams has joined 抖M女仆 as its new associate vice president and managing director of 抖M女仆 Tech Runway. Williams comes to 抖M女仆 after serving as the president and co-founder of New World Angels, Inc., a member-managed, structured angel investor group.
鈥淩hys has been the leader of the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout South Florida and the state for years,鈥 said Daniel Flynn, Ph.D., 抖M女仆 vice president for research. 鈥淗is deep understanding about what it takes to take a kernel of an idea and turn that into viable company will benefit not just Tech Runway, but the wider university community as well. We鈥檙e confident that he鈥檒l take the reigns at Tech Runway and launch it into its next phase of growth.鈥
Williams has been active in efforts to commercialize biotechnologies from Florida鈥檚 research universities and institutes, having co-founded several biotechnology spinout ventures. Previously he was a venture capitalist with SI Ventures and held executive positions with Ixion Biotechnology, Smith Barney, American Express, and the U.S. Army Special Forces.
鈥淚 am extremely excited to be joining the 抖M女仆 Tech Runway team and its successful efforts to accelerate the growth of the 鈥榥ext generation鈥 of early-stage companies within our ecosystem鈥 said Williams.聽 鈥淎s a part of extending Tech Runway鈥檚 impressive track record, additional emphasis will focus upon supporting entrepreneurial efforts aligned with 抖M女仆鈥檚 strategic plan in the four areas of sensing and smart systems; neuroscience; healthy aging; and ocean science and engineering/environmental sciences.聽
鈥湺禡女仆 Tech Runway will become a crucial hub and key resource for building a culture of business leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship within the 抖M女仆 community, while serving as an indispensable partner for all entrepreneurs, investors, and allied stakeholders with an interest in further developing the region鈥檚 technology-based economy.鈥澛
Williams presently serves on the boards of Aplicor, Inc.; the Florida Venture Forum; the University of Miami鈥檚 Coulter Center Technology Review Committee; the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium; The LeMieux Center at Palm Beach Atlantic University; University of Florida鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation; and the Harvard Club of the Palm Beaches. Past board service includes 抖M女仆 Foundation, the Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research, and Leadership Florida.
Williams earned a聽Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Florida; a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida; and a bachelor鈥檚 degree聽magna cum laude聽from Harvard University. Williams succeeds Kimberly Gramm, who has taken the position of managing director of the Innovation Hub at Texas Tech University.
鈥淜im has been part of Tech Runway from the beginning, inspiring and leading the entrepreneurial efforts at the university,鈥 Flynn said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 sure to be successful as she takes on new challenges, and we all wish her the best of luck in the next phase of her career.鈥
Under the purview of the 抖M女仆 Division of Research, Tech Runway is a public-private partnership formed to foster technology start-up companies. Since its inception, 抖M女仆 Tech Runway has supported 15 companies who have produced more than $3 million in total revenue. Florida Gov. Rick Scott recently approved the legislative budget request of $750,000 in funding for 抖M女仆 Tech Runway in the 2016-17 state budget.
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