Sept. 01, 2000


Columbia Innovation Enterprise Appoints Michael J. Cleare New Executive Director

By Abby Beshkin

Columbia Innovation Enterprise (CIE), Columbia's technology transfer organization, has appointed Michael Cleare to serve as its new executive director. In his new position, Cleare will head the University's ongoing efforts to evaluate, patent and license Columbia's research and increase private sector funding for research and development. He joins the University after more than 30 years with U.K.-based Johnson Matthey, a world leader in advanced materials technology.

"We are excited to have Michael joining CIE at such a pivotal time," said Columbia University Executive Vice Provost Michael Crow. "I am confident that Columbia's cutting-edge research, coupled with Michael's wealth of experience in licensing and technology transfer, will mean increased opportunities for Columbia to continue as the leader in technology research and licensing." Last year, Columbia University was the first among research universities in the amount of revenue ‹ $141.6 million ‹ generated from patents and research.

Cleare's experiences during his 30 years at Johnson Matthey range from research and business development to senior management. Throughout his career, Cleare managed complex, global businesses, negotiated and closed multi-million dollar licensing and technology transfer deals, and entered into multiple research funding agreements with major universities.

"Columbia's biomedical and technological innovations are truly taking the world of university-based research to a new level," said Cleare. "I have spent my career fusing science and business to enable us to deliver technology and health care to the public. I am delighted to be able to continue positioning Columbia as a leader in licensing and patenting."

From 1966 until 1988, Cleare worked in research and development, where he was involved in discovery and development of Platinum Anti-Cancer drug Carboplatin. He also led the pharmaceutical research and development in various areas including drugs for cancer, viral and anti-inflammatory treatment.

From 1990 until 1999, Cleare served as president of several of the company's major divisions, including Pharmaceutical Materials, Materials Technology, Catalytic Systems and Electronic Materials. In his role as President of the Pharmaceutical Materials Division, he led the company's entry into bulk drug manufacturing by commercializing Platinum Anti-Cancer drugs. Among his notable accomplishments was a multi-million dollar licensing deal with Bristol-Myers Squibb for the widely-used anti-cancer drug Carboplatin. Additionally, in 1996, Cleare spun off Johnson Matthey's drug discovery research into a biotechnology startup.

Cleare will succeed Jack Granowitz, the current executive director of CIE who will become senior technology advisor in the Office of the Executive Vice Provost. In this newly-created role, Granowitz will coordinate the development of joint technology transfer initiatives with universities and institutes world wide and develop institutional-level relationships with Columbia's corporate licensees. He will also advise CIE, as well as Columbia Media Enterprises (CME) on transfer deals and will provide technical advice to CIE and CME.

Granowitz first joined Columbia University in 1983, shortly after the University started a technology transfer program, which was then called the Office of Science and Technology Development. Granowitz was named director of the office in 1988, then named executive director of CIE in 1994.

"I am looking forward to working closely with Jack in his new advisory role," said Crow. "His expertise and his years of ground-level experience will make him a key advisor for our ever-expanding new media and technology endeavors, and I know he will be instrumental in taking us to the next level."

In the past few years, Columbia University has emerged as a leader among U.S. research universities in technology licensing income. In Fiscal Year 1984, the first year in which Columbia's Office of Science and Technology Development was operating, the office earned $1.25 million from licensing and research revenues. Last year, in Fiscal Year 2000, the office, now Columbia Innovation Enterprise, brought in nearly $141.6 million in license and research revenue, in addition to $20 million in corporate research revenues‹the most ever. For the last year, Columbia has been number one among U.S. research universities in the amount of revenue it generates from its patents and research. CIE manages income from more than 250 active U.S. patents and signs as many as 100 technology licenses annually.