In January, Charasika started his term as an entrepreneur in residence, or EIR, through the UofL Office of Research and Innovation. In this role, he will work with inventors and theÌıÌıto connect UofL technologies to industry and startups.

Charasika is a seasoned entrepreneur and leader, previously serving as executive director of EnterpriseCorp of Greater Louisville Inc., the Louisville Metro chamber of commerce, and as CEO of , a mobile platform company that helps colleges and universities engage and communicate with their fans.

Currently, Charasika serves as chief strategy officer with Saling Wealth Advisors, an independent wealth management firm that focuses on comprehensive financial planning for multi-generational families.

Charasika got his start at UofL as a varsity football star and student of both the UofL J.B. Speed School of Engineering, where he earned a bachelor of science in chemical engineering, and the UofL College of Business, where he completed his entrepreneurship MBA.

“It is a privilege to continue to be a part of the University of Louisville team, which I have been since enrolling at the university in 1996 as a Speed School student and student-athlete on the football team,â€� he said. “This time, I have the honor of helping to support and guide to market the incredible innovations that are being developed at the university.”

Charasika’s hiring marks the third round of EIRs hired by the UofL Office of Research and Innovation to bring inventions born from UofL research to market. He joins EIRs Jeff Cummins and Josh Nickols, , and Alice Shade, .Ìı

Cummins will roll off the roster in spring, while Nickols and Shade will stay on through summer 2021. The goal is to rotate EIRs regularly, to offer fresh insight, perspectives and connections that promote the conversion of technologies with commercial potential into high-growth companies and spurring economic development.

The program claims among its early successes a new, Vogt Award-winning startup, Unitonomy, founded by former EIR Charley Miller. The company is built around aÌı, which Miller discovered and licensed while working with UofL. It’s the first license from the EIR program and the first from the UofL College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development.

“We’re ecstatic to have Tendai join our EIR team, bringing with him all the knowledge and experience of his years as a successful entrepreneur and founder,� said Will Metcalf, UofL’s executive director of strategic initiatives, who heads the EIR program. “We’ve had great success with the EIR program so far and I look forward to building on that success with Tendai on board.�

The EIR program is part of the , a collaboration between UofL and the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council to support health-centric entrepreneurship and innovation. It is funded by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development through , an effort to energize the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.

In late January, Shade started her term as an entrepreneur in residence, or EIR, through the UofL Office of Research and Innovation. In this role, she will work with inventors and the to connect UofL technologies to industry and startups.

“I’m excited to participate in this program and continue the momentum,â€� Shade said.Ìı“This program furthers the potential for impact to our communities and reflectsÌıthe amazing work being done at the University of Louisville.â€�

Shade is a veteran of the healthcare industry, having worked in both large companies and startups. But coming back to campus as an EIR brings things full-circle: the company she founded, Louisville-based SentryHealth, was born at UofL.

SentryHealth has customized corporate care management programs that help employees stay healthy while controlling health care costs for employers.

Shade’s hiring marks the second class of UofL Research and Innovation EIRs. Funding for the program comes from the , a public-private partnership led by UofL and backed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, to grow Louisville’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The first round of EIRs, , included Josh Nickols, Jeff Cummins and Charley Miller. Nickols and Cummins will continue to serve as EIRs through summer 2020, while Miller is now focused on his new, Vogt Award-winning startup, Unitonomy.Ìı

The company is built around a , which Miller discovered and licensed while working with UofL. It’s the first license from the EIR program and the first from the UofL College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development.Ìı

“We’re very excited to have Alice join us as an EIR, and to benefit from her knowledge and experience in the healthcare startup space,â€� said Will Metcalf, UofL’s executive director of strategic initiatives and chairman of the LEAP board. “We had great success with the first round of EIRs, and with Alice on board, we’re sure to build on that momentum.â€�Ìı

And now, Louisville startup Ìıhas licensed the technology from UofL and is working to get it to market.Ìı

The inventor here, , studies organizational culture and applied behavioral economics as an associate professor at the UofL College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development (CEHD). His is the first licensed technology out of CEHD.Ìı

Shuck said organizations are more productive and, often, more profitable when their employees are engaged in their workplace. Engaged employees also have a better overall workplace experience. However, his research suggests there is a more than 60% drop off in levels of engagement in the first six months of an employee’s tenure.

“Globally, employee engagement remains a critical, and sought-after competitive advantage for businesses and organizations of all sizes,� he said. “It is the differentiator between market share, customer experience and quality. Everyone wants more of it.�

His software, the Employee Engagement Scale (EES), helps companies to monitor that engagement, and hopefully improve it, through brief, easy-to-use surveys that gauge how employees think and feel about their work.Ìı

The EES will be a central part of system for businesses that provides a sort of “virtual colleagueâ€� — one that keeps track of who and what staff are communicating while analyzing collaboration. CEOÌıCharley Miller said the “colleague”Ìıcould help leaders in the company better understand their employees and make smart decisions on how to improve the work environment.ÌıÌıÌı

“One of the key aspects of a good colleague is that they are great listeners,â€� Miller said. “Dr. Shuck’s IP enables us to ensure our virtual colleague is great listener when it comes to understanding how to ascertain employee engagement.â€�Ìı

Not only is Shuck’s technology the first out of CEHD to be licensed to a company, but it’s the first license of the UofL Office of Research and Innovation’s Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, or EIR, program.Ìı

Miller was one of the program’s first EIRs, to help guide UofL research-backed technologies to market in collaboration with the . After Miller’s term ended, he launched Unitonomy around Shuck’s technology.Ìı

“Sometimes all it takes is getting the right mix of people — researchers, entrepreneurs, community members — in the same room,â€� said Will Metcalf, executive director of , who launched the EIR program. “This is case-in-point, and we’re so excited to see what grows of this partnership between Charley and UofL.â€�Ìı

Funding for the EIRs comes from the , a public-private partnership led by UofL and backed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development to grow Louisville’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The EIRs, under the UofL (EVPRI), will provide guidance on product development, business planning and other activities to accelerate the commercialization of university inventions. UofL’s EIRs are:

• Josh Nickols, PhD, MBA, a seasoned biotechnology entrepreneur and venture adviser with experience in commercializing technologies born at higher education institutions;
• Jeff Cummins, MBA, a finance and business development executive with experience in start-up and fast-growth companies;
• Charley Miller, MPS, a technology startup founder, product manager and game designer with a focus on systems and user journey.

UofL ranks as one of only 120 U.S. “Research 1â€� universities with “very high research activity,â€� according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥. The EIRs will amplify UofL’s existing efforts aimed at getting technologies born from that research to market, which include a “superfectaâ€� of .

“UofL research has produced groundbreaking innovations that have impacted a great number of industries and could impact so many more,â€� said UofL PresidentÌıNeeli Bendapudi. “By pairing those innovations with seasoned, tested entrepreneurs, we can accelerate their journey from idea to the marketplace, generating new products and companies and making the world a better place.â€�

Each EIR will serve a six-month term, beginning in April, and will work with the and researchers. More information on the EIRs is available .Ìı

“UofL is full of potential game-changing technologies,� Nickols said. “I’m excited to work with faculty and staff at UofL to drive those innovations toward market.�

Funding for the EIRs comes from the , a public-private partnership, led by UofL and backed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, to grow Louisville’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The letters installed Friday read LEAP. The acronym stands for Louisville, Entrepreneurial, Accelerating, Principled.

“We will be the example of building a business school that serves its constituents,� COB Dean Todd Mooradian said as the letters were unveiled. “These values define our intent and guide our activities as we LEAP forward as a college.�

The core values expressed by LEAP:

Louisville
We partner with the city of Louisville and the broader business community to develop programs and initiatives that support the growth of both a leading university and a thriving global city.

Entrepreneurial
We instill in all our students an entrepreneurial mindset, which enables them to recognize opportunities, drive creative change and pursue possibility.

Accelerating
We create access for all — regardless of differences, seen and unseen — to accelerate their lives and their successes in pursuit of personal and professional ambitions.

Principled
We develop principled citizens and business leaders who act ethically and with integrity, shaping sustainable and socially responsible organizations that change the world.

Mooradian said he hoped the sculpture will serve as a daily reminder to faculty, staff and students.

“I hope you walk by LEAP and say ‘I know why I am here. I know what I am contributing to. I know what to use as my North Star when I’m looking for direction and making decisions and making investments.’�

“Together, we will commercialize university research, enhance the region’s reputation for innovation, grow jobs and economic development and build the next generation of leaders in the health care sector,â€� said UofL president Dr. Neeli Bendapudi.Ìı

The entrepreneur-led hub, dubbed the Louisville Entrepreneurship Acceleration Partnership (LEAP), is backed by a multimillion-dollar through the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. The award is $1.3 million per year for up to five years.

The LEAP effort joins several players in the Louisville entrepreneurship ecosystem — UofL, the and , along with support from GLI’s Enterprise Corp., the MED Institute and Techstars.

“It is inspiring to see the expertise of these partners come together for the common good,� said Will Metcalf, UofL’s executive director of and the principal investigator on the grant. “Together we are building a community that cultivates and supports elite entrepreneurs.�

LEAP has also hired a seasoned entrepreneur, Wendy Lea, to spearhead its programs and initiatives. Lea is the previous CEO of , a public-private partnership innovation hub focused on economic development and creating value for both startups and large companies.

“This RISE partnership will kick Louisville’s startup ecosystem into high gear,â€� Lea said. “I look forward to taking a promising ecosystem to the next level.â€�

The partnership will also include support from GLI’s Enterprise Corp, the entrepreneurial arm of the Louisville chamber of commerce, which will work with LEAP’s board on education and mentorship programs. Also, TechStars, a national tech accelerator, will support program initiatives.Ìı

Each partner brings its own expertise, and will contribute to programming that includes physical space, entrepreneurial training, building funding channels, forging connections between startups and big companies and other support.Ìı

“Through this collaboration, LEAP will tie together and evolve Kentucky’s existing entrepreneurial ecosystem to cultivate fast growth startup companies and attract the people and financial resources needed to create further innovation and entrepreneurship,� said Tammy York Day, president and CEO of LHCC.

Check out video from today’s announcement:Ìı