In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin welcomes Michelle Leeuwon, a leader in technology commercialization at the University of Houston working at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem development. Michelle shares how UH treats commercialization as a translational process—"cultivating deals" by asking three key questions: what problem is solved, who feels the pain enough to pay, and what meaningful proof reduces risk. She explains how her team selects the right pathway (licensing vs. startup formation), aligns technology with market needs, and helps founders narrow use cases, set realistic development and funding timelines, and define clear team roles.

The conversation also covers proof-of-concept (gap) funding to build prototypes, validate applications, support scale-up, and drive customer discovery, along with an IP strategy focused on protecting "relevant novelty" to enable licensable, investable deals. Michelle discusses early engagement with industry and investors for feedback, best practices for pairing inventors with experienced operators through UH's Innovate accelerator, metrics centered on risk reduction, and closes with her contact details for licensing and startup opportunities.

Reach out to at wwan@central.uh.edu, and on www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-leeuwon-486624170/

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