The Office of Innovation provides support to faculty and staff who invent approaches, processes and technologies to solve pressing problems. By leveraging collaboration, local and national resources, and expert connections within industry plus funding vehicles, we help promising innovations find a pathway forward.

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The Office of Innovation has built a robust ecosystem to support innovation and entrepreneurism on campus and within the State of Iowa based on fortifying these three areas necessary to succeed: talent, capital and culture. 

Meet Our Team

Leadership Team

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Jon Darsee

Chief Innovation Officer

jon-darsee@uiowa.edu

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Jordan Kaufmann

Senior Director,
UI Ventures

jordan-kaufmann@uiowa.edu

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Stephanie Dengler

Director of Operations,
Iowa Research Park

stephanie-dengler@uiowa.edu

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Jeff Kueter

Director of Corporate Engagement

jeff-kueter@uiowa.edu 

Office of Innovation

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Jon Darsee

Chief Innovation Officer

jon-darsee@uiowa.edu

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Liz Hubing

Assoc. Director of Business Development and Communication

elizabeth-hubing@uiowa.edu

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Matthew Warrens

Venture Capitalist in Residence

matthew-warrens@uiowa.edu

 

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Austin Korns

Associate Director of Economic Development

austin-korns@uiowa.edu

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Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows

In its third year, The Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows program has selected 11 graduate trainees to participate in a prestigious, year-long educational experience designed to immerse them in the dynamic world of healthcare innovation.

UI Ventures

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Chris Parker

Associate Director

christopher-parker@uiowa.edu

Allison Hurt

Allison Hurt

Nurse Innovator Liaison

allison-hurt@uiowa.edu

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Austin McKee

Innovation Coordinator

austin-mckee@uiowa.edu

Protostudios

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Jeff Kueter

Director of Corporate Engagement

jeff-kueter@uiowa.edu 

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Chuck Romans

3D Design Director

charles-romans@uiowa.edu

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Michael Sneller

3D Design Product Designer

michael-sneller@uiowa.edu

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Sharon Spurgeon

Admin Services Coordinator

sharon-dsouza@uiowa.edu

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Ron Troester

3D Print Technician

ronald-troester@uiowa.edu

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Austin McKee

Innovation Coordinator

austin-mckee@uiowa.edu

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Mia Scoblic

Student Senior Prototyping Associate

mscoblic@uiowa.edu

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Sam Akerman-Knopf

Student Junior Prototyping Associate

samuel-akerman-knopf@uiowa.edu

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Adam Holmes

Student Senior Prototyping Associate

adam-b-holmes@uiowa.edu

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Charlie Killian

Student Junior Prototyping Associate

charles-killian@uiowa.edu

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Erica Wahe

Student Junior Prototyping Assistant

erica-wahe@uiowa.edu

Iowa MADE

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Jordan Kaufmann

Executive Director

jordan-kaufmann@uiowa.edu

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Nathan Martinez

Student Product Manager

Nathan-Martinez@uiowa.edu

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Carrington Stilabower

Student Quality Engineer

carrington-stilabower@uiowa.edu

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Cristina Oijangbe

Student Product Manager

cristina-oijangbekuznetsova@uiowa.edu

IOWA Research Park

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Stephanie Dengler

Director of Operations

stephanie-dengler@uiowa.edu

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Amber M. Cardona

Administrative Service Specialist

amber-cardona@uiowa.edu

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Austin Korns

Associate Director of Economic Development

austin-korns@uiowa.edu

GET INVOLVED

We are here to help promising innovations find a pathway forward.