Collegiate Catalyst: Faculty researchers at 10 Inland...

Collegiate Catalyst: Faculty researchers at 10 Inland Empire colleges are forming a nonprofit corporation to facilitate the transfer of technology from their laboratories to the private sector.

CORE21--short for Connecting Research and Economic Development for the 21st Century--selected Riverside venture capitalist Robert Klemme to serve as chairman of the board and volunteer chief executive. The group includes representatives from UC Riverside, Cal Poly Pomona and the Claremont Colleges.

“What we want CORE21 to do is serve as a catalyst between research and faculty resources and the business community, helping to spur new companies, new products and new jobs,” said Klemme.

Noel Keen, a UC Riverside molecular biology professor who helped organize the group, said CORE21 could help create hundreds of high-paying high-tech jobs for the Inland Empire by boosting networking opportunities among researchers, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs.

The nonprofit group has scheduled a technology transfer symposium for Feb. 24 in Ontario.