Ask the Expert: adVentures in Innovation

Ask the Expert is a collaboration between the CCTSI, Venture Partners at CU Boulder, CSU Strata and the NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) grant at CU Anschutz.

The initiative is part of CCTSI's Innovation Ecosystem program. This lunchtime series is for researchers and academics who are interested in entrepreneurship, device and technology development and innovation. Every month, academics and innovators will engage in a lively and provocative interview with an expert, followed by a Q&A session. Experts are sourced from each campus and nationally, by the Ask the Expert committee.

The series will take place on Zoom.

Stacyann Russell, MS, MBA

Founder & CEO, The Daraja Collective

When: January 23, 2023

Time: Noon to 1 pm

Commercializing Deep Technologies Using I-Corps Methodology

Known as “the catalyst,” Stacyann P. Russell expects something to change when she walks into the room. Her passion for innovation and entrepreneurship has been molded by her unique past experiences. She started her career as a nuclear engineer and has worked in modeling and simulation, 3D immersive environments, continuous improvement and operational optimization for manufacturing processes in the automotive, aerospace and defense, communications and energy industries. Stacyann is the Founder and CEO of The Daraja Collective, where she works with organizations to launch and scale tech startups in the US and Canada and global corporations to establish new product development and innovation processes from launch to market entry. Stacyann is also the director of the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps Hub: West Region, where she works with nine academic institutions across California, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico to help researchers learn how to translate fundamental research into the marketplace. She has been developing and delivering instruction for leadership, professional development, entrepreneurship and innovation content areas for over ten years. Stacyann received her Bachelor of Industrial and Systems Engineering degree from The Ohio State University, Master of Science in Engineering Management degree from The George Washington University and Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California.

Videos from previous sessions

Ask the Expert Podcasts

Barbara T. Bauer
Barbara Bauer presents "Supporting entrepreneurs, building boards, and creating inclusive ecosystems."

Shawn Stigler, JD
Shawn Stigler presents "Entrepreneurship and Innovation - When Legal Counsel Becomes a Value Add."

Chelsea M. Magin, PhD
From Academia to Industry and Back: Navigating Career Transitions

Barbara T. Bauer
Supporting entrepreneurs, building boards, and creating inclusive ecosystems

Wendi Burkhardt, PhD
Traveling the Entrepreneurial Path

Adventures in academia, science and government

Raymond Goodrich, PhD
My journey from academia to industry and back – lessons learned about innovation, pivots, startups, collaboration and funding

Navigating medical device development and regulatory approvals - creating value for early-stage companies

Jo Viney
Building Teams, Women in Leadership and the Importance of Diversity for Success

Richard C. Duke
Tying it all Together: Inventor, Biomedical Researcher, Executive and Serial Entrepreneur

Stanley Lapidus
Cytyc and Exact Sciences

Jennifer Elisseeff, PhD
Integrating Academics and Commercialization for New Therapy Translation

Michael Mestek, PhD
Finding Pathways to Rewarding Industry Careers & Relationships

Dr. Farzin Samadani
What does it take to launch a deep-tech startup?

Robin Shandas, PhD
How to Succeed in Business and Academia

Ruth Shurman, NSF
I-Corps at NSF, the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, and more

Gali Baler, PhD
No need to quit your day job - Clinical Translation and Entra/Intrapreneurship

Lyndsey Linke, PhD
Developing an Innovation and Starting a Company from Student to Faculty