Lou Berneman is an experienced intellectual property licensing and business development executive. He has founded and financed intellectual property-based entrepreneurial ventures, and has built and managed university technology transfer programs. Since September 2005, Lou has been the Principal of Texelerate, a consultancy specializing in academic–industry technology commercialization, royalty monetization, and expert witnessing.
Dr. Berneman has been involved in patenting and licensing since 1982 as both licensee and licensor on behalf of companies and research institutions. From 1995–2005, he was Managing Director of the Center for Technology Transfer (CTT) at the University of Pennsylvania. Under his leadership, CTT became one of the most productive university technology licensing offices filing more than 1500 patents, completing more than 600 commercialization agreements, launching more than 80 new start up ventures, and generating more than $100 million in license income.
From 1989–1995, Berneman was Director, Licensing and Business Development at Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology doing patenting and licensing work on behalf of the eight public research universities in Virginia. From 1984–1989, he founded and served as President and CEO of Biotherapeutics, Inc., a provider of cancer biotherapy services based on know-how from the National Cancer Institute. He also helped to found and served as a non-executive Director of Innotech, Inc., an ophthalmic manufacturing system. From 1982–1984, he was VP of Marketing and Sales of Immuno-Modulators Laboratories, Inc., an emerging biopharmaceuticals company. From 1976–1982, he was Assistant Professor of Education at University of Houston.
Berneman is a Past President of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) and a former Vice President and Trustee of the Licensing Executives Society (LES USA & Canada). He has served as a member of the Board of the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Association, Greater Philadelphia Venture Group and the LES Foundation. Dr. Berneman is the 2005 recipient of the LES Barnes Mentoring Award and a 2003 recipient of an Award of Excellence from the Association of University Research Parks. Berneman currently serves as an advisor and member of the Advisory Board of the Paul Capital Partners Royalty Healthcare Fund.
Dr. Berneman holds a baccalaureate degree in history from the Pennsylvania State University, a teaching credential from University of California at Santa Barbara, and masters and doctoral degrees in education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
