The University of Texas at Austin has appointed Mark Arnold as the new associate vice president for Discovery to Impact, the university’s connection unit between campus innovators and industry. Arnold will play a role in enhancing the University’s research commercialization efforts, formalizing a dedicated technology transfer office, and launching Texas Startups, a division aimed at positioning UT as a national leader in supporting startups from various academic levels.
President Jay Hartzell's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation across campus is highlighted through Arnold's appointment. The focus is on driving impactful collaborations between the University and industry, with a strong research pipeline in life sciences, energy, environment, and deep tech.
Arnold's extensive leadership experience in scaling technology companies and navigating venture investments will be instrumental in his role as the managing director of Texas Startups. He aims to leverage this expertise to propel entrepreneurship programs and scale the startup pipeline emanating from UT on a national and global scale.
Before joining UT, Arnold had notable roles in the venture capital landscape, including being a founder and general partner at The Resilience Fund and serving as the vice president of corporate development for Forcepoint.
The appointment of Mark Arnold comes at a pivotal moment for Discovery to Impact as it aims to bridge the gap between research and commercialization, with Austin aspiring to become a prominent hub for life sciences.
Arnold's vision for the future of innovation and entrepreneurship at UT is clear as he states, "By harnessing our collective expertise and passion, we will shape the future of innovation, galvanize our entrepreneurship programs and offerings, and scale the startup pipeline emerging from UT across the nation and around the globe."
This strategic move underscores the University's commitment to advancing technology transfer and entrepreneurship, setting the stage for a dynamic and impactful future in the realm of innovation and startups.