A highly-motivated, hands-on leader who has managed IKOTECH's start-up and daily operations. Mr. Kennedy has the technical competence and knowledge of the marketplace to successfully drive this high-tech entrepreneurial company to a prominent position in the global cell sorting market. Mr. Kennedy joined IKOTECH in 2006 after a ten-year career with increasing responsibility and corresponding achievement at Techshot. While an employee of Techshot, Mr. Kennedy began managing the technology development and engineering for IKOTECH's products in 2003. He is lead author on one related publication, is lead inventor on one issued patent for the technology, and has presented IKOTECH's technology at U.S. and international conferences. Mr. Kennedy holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.
A world-renowned expert in the field of bioseparations and cell technology. His CV includes over 300 scientific articles in cell biophysics, biochemistry, and chemical engineering, including authorship of a textbook in bioprocessing. Dr. Todd's career is a combination of service in both industry and academia, including director of the Bioprocessing and Pharmaceutical Research Center in Philadelphia and positions at Penn State and the University of Colorado. Dr. Todd principally serves as Techshot's Chief Scientist. Dr. Todd has been the principal investigator on a number of SBIR grants funded by DoD, NASA, NIH, and NSF. Dr. Todd holds a BA degree from Bowdoin College, SB from MIT, MS from the University of Rochester, and PhD in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to his role as Chief Scientist, Dr. Todd also chairs IKOTECH's Scientific Advisory Board.
A seasoned technologist and entrepreneur, Byron's professional experience spans 17 years. His obsession with technology dates back much further, beginning at age 12 when he taught himself to program multiplayer games in 'C' on mainframe computers well before the world wide web. 10 years later he found himself living in Key West, employed as multiplayer game developer until that company was acquired. Subsequently, as Director of Software development for World Gaming Corporation, he was part of a successful exit when the company was acquired by Women.com. As a founder and Vice President of iSun Networks, a company capitalized with over $5M in Research Triangle Park in 1999, Byron led the development of unique social networking software that was deployed at Universities and featured friends lists, photos, status updates...but lacked a "like" button. He was a founder of V3 Networks in 2001, and served as Principal Technologist, Architect, and Advanced Technology Leader, among other roles, during his 7 years at GE Industrial. At GE he worked on the Energy Management Gateway, is an inventor on a patent covering that technology, and led Research & Development in IT. He's trained in Six Sigma and ITIL Service Management, has attended the University of Louisville, and holds a degree in Computer Science from Indiana University Southeast.
One of the two co-founders and owners of IKOTECH. As Chairman, he brings significant management and organizational skills to IKOTECH having also co-founded Techshot, Inc., another small entrepreneurial technology-based company, nearly twenty years ago. Mr. Deuser continues to serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Techshot, which is a provider of high-tech product development and engineering services to federal, university and private sector clients. Under his leadership, Techshot has become Indiana's leading recipient of SBIR awards with close to 60 awards to date. He has guided and successfully grown Techshot to prominence, as acknowledged by numerous national awards and regional recognition, including being listed two consecutive years as Inc. Magazine's 500 fastest growing companies. Mr. Deuser is a registered Professional Engineer, and was graduated with honors from the University of Evansville (Evansville, IN) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
The other co-founder and owner of IKOTECH. He also co-founded Techshot, and has since served as the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Vellinger has extensive design management experience in developing innovative products for both commercial and government applications. His project managers and their teams have designed innovative products for governmental agencies such as NASA, NIH, Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as Fortune 100 companies such as Procter & Gamble and the Coca-Cola Company. His design teams developed and provided equipment that was used to conduct life science experiments on 7 different space shuttle missions. Under his leadership, intellectual property has been generated in various high-tech fields, resulting in 6 USPTO patents issued to date and 5 applications in review. Mr. Vellinger is a graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a specialty in biomedical design.
The Founder of Barnard Associates and Barnard Life Sciences. He is also Managing Director of Pearl Street Ventures, and founding partner and board member for YourEncore, Inc. He has 27 years of financial experience at Eli Lilly and Company including Controller of International Operations, Director of Financial Systems, Director of Business Process Reengineering and Controller of DowElanco. John has assisted in the founding of more than a dozen new firms as well as the capitalization and acceleration of many more. He has a BA degree in Psychology from Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana and a MBA degree from Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Mark Crane is an instructor, consultant and community liaison in the the College of Business Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Louisville. Crane is the former executive director of the Enterprise Corp for Greater Louisville Inc (GLI) and 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the region. As co-founder and manager of the Enterprise Corp., Crane secured $120 million in financing and generated $500 million in liquidity for clients while leading the organization to recognition as a global player in entrepreneurial economic development. While at GLI, he also co-founded Enterprise Angels, Louisville’s largest angel investor group, which generated $9 million in investments. He remains managing director of the Enterprise Angels group, which includes 45 members. Crane joined GLI in 1998 and as senior vice-president and general manager oversaw the merger of the Louisville Chamber of Commerce and the Great Louisville Economic Development Partnership. He led a team offering professional services to 200 emerging technology companies and 50 private equity investors and investment funds. Previously he was publisher and executive vice president of The Cobb Group. He is a former president and chairman of the Venture Club of Louisville. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering with highest distinction from Purdue University.
Founder of bioLOGIC, a global life science development, management and investment firm, where he provides contract senior executive services to clients. His uniquely applicable background includes serving as President & CEO for Cytomation, a high speed cell sorting instrumentation business, from start-up (1996) through merger (2003) and subsequent liquidity event (2007) returning over $300 million to Cytomation's owners. He has served as President for a number of other companies including Mobus, SFC, and CorryHeibert. His industry and investor connections, business savvy, and experience are extensive.
Dr. Lawrence Mand serves as Vice Chancellor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, Indiana University, Southeast. From 2003 to 2010, he had the dual responsibility for information technology and community engagement while serving as a professor of both computer science and mathematics. As a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet and Budget Committees, Mand had a direct role in the addition of three new buildings on campus and the growth of the campus from 5500 students with a budget of $45M to a campus of more than 7300 students with a budget in excess of $60M. His executive leadership positions have included: President of LRM Software Development; Chair of the Indiana University Council of Chief Information Officers; Co-Chair of the Greater Louisville, Inc. (GLI) HIRE Education Forum; Member of the GLI Technology Network; Member of the GLI CIO Roundtable; and Member of the Purdue College of Technology at New Albany Advisory Board. In 2010 Dr. Mand was recognized by the Indiana Legislature for his contributions to the state and was declared a Distinguished Hoosier by Governor Mitch Daniels. He also received the E. Ross Bartley Award from Dr. Michael McRobbie, President of Indiana University, in honor of his service to the university. Dr. Mand is managing founder of the INnovation Angels investor group.
Dr. Mand holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Mathematics and French; a Master of Arts from the University of Kentucky – Lexington in Mathematics; and Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky – Lexington in Mathematics.
A partner at Baker & Daniels LLP and a member of its Corporate Finance and Health and Life Sciences teams. Prior to joining Baker & Daniels, he was a co-founder of JMM Ventures and served as the vice president of corporate development and general counsel for Aprimo, Inc. where he helped raise over $32 million in venture financing. His versatile legal background includes technology development and licensing transactions, technology transfer, merger and acquisition transactions, capital formation, securities law and strategic planning. Mr. Mathioudakis also serves as IKOTECH's general counsel for general business issues.
Don Smith is President of Smith & Company, an international business consulting firm specializing in new business start ups and existing business expansions with emphasis on management direction, sales and marketing, acquisitions and divestitures, capital attraction, market research/analysis and general business consultation. An experienced executive and senior level consultant, his accomplishments include developing and managing sales forces, taking new products and services to market successfully, sales & seminar planning across many industries, acquisition analysis and execution as well as business plan development and investment searches for start up and expanding companies. During over forty years of executive management, Smith has hired and managed several sales and marketing forces for expanding and mature corporations while pioneering techniques in sales and marketing now utilized by many major corporations. Smith has held positions as Corporate Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Executive Vice-President, President, Chairman and CEO. As a recognized executive in management and marketing consulting he has served a number of diversified companies including: Weyerhaeuser Corporation, Elliptical Mobile Solutions, My University Mobile, Comdisco, Inc., General Electric, El Camino, RAMM Technologies, Global Marine, Compusource, AIM, Provident, Honeywell Corporation, Calvin Klein Industries, Data-Com Facilities, Norsk Data of Norway, Tropical Oysters Limited of Australia, Control Data Corporation, Credit Thrift, The Military Channel, VIDECO, El Camino Recovery and many others. Professionally active, he has served or is serving on several boards of directors and advisory boards including OnDisplay (sold to Vignette Corp for $1.8 billion).
Paul Todd, Ph.D., serves as the Science Advisory Board Chairman.
A practicing physician in clinical neonatology and also serves as a clinical consultant to IKOTECH. He earned degrees in chemistry, pharmacology and medicine from Indiana University, and he is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics and neonatal-perinatal medicine. Dr. Bickers currently provides clinical neonatology services to Pediatrix Medical Group, a unit of MEDNAX National Medical Group (NYSE: MD). Dr. Bickers brings three decades of experience in clinical and laboratory research, (neonatal) critical care, and medical literature management to the IKOTECH team.
A Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. Dr. Leary is a world-renown expert in flow cytometry and nanomedicine. Dr. Leary joined Purdue in 2006 with a joint appointment in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the School of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Basic Medical Sciences. In addition to his roles as a faculty member, he is also involved in the Birck Nanotechnology Center, Oncological Sciences Center, and the Bindley Bioscience Center at Purdue's Discovery Park, as well as the Purdue Cancer Center. Dr. Leary received two Bachelor's Degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in aeronautics-astronautics and philosophy-history, a Master's Degree in physics from the University of New Hampshire, and a Doctorate in biophysics from Pennsylvania State University. He is widely regarded as one of the world's best researchers in high speed and rare event cell sorting.
Stuart K. Williams, Ph.D. is the scientific director of the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute (CII) and a professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Louisville. An internationally-known expert in biomedical engineering, he was recruited to the CII and the University of Louisville in July 2007. His research spans the fields of cardiovascular bioengineering, biomaterials and diabetes and is funded by the National Institutes of Health, United States Army, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and several private corporations. He is the co-founder of three biosciences companies and serves as a scientific advisor for several others. Williams holds 16 U.S. patents and has several additional patents pending. Among his awards are the University of Delaware's distinguished alumnus award, the R&D magazine award for one of the most technologically significant new products in 2003, the Excellence in Surface Science Award from Surfaces in Biomaterials and several NIH awards. Williams has authored more than 135 scientific publications and is a reviewer for more than a dozen scientific journals. He also serves on several Federal Government Advisory Committees for the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. He is a member of numerous scientific and professional organizations including, of particular note, his service as the Scientific Program Chair for the 2011 Meeting of the International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science. Prior to joining the CII, Dr. Williams served as professor and chairman of the University of Arizona’s Biomedical Engineering program and was the Director of Research in the Departments of Surgery at Arizona and Jefferson Medical College. His educational background includes a postdoctoral fellowship in pathology completed at Yale University School of Medicine, as well as a B.A. in biological sciences, an M.S. in biochemistry and a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology, all from the University of Delaware.
