Ask Katie Butcher what she most enjoys about her role at Northwestern University’s Innovation and New Ventures Office (INVO) and her reply arrives with speed and confidence.
“I love being a part of the story of how a technology becomes what it’s meant to be,” says Butcher, INVO’s director of licensing strategy and business development.
Butcher joined INVO in 2018 after a lengthy career in licensing compliance, contract management, negotiating, and risk management for the likes of BMI, a global leader in music rights management, and Country Music Television as well as its parent company, Viacom. In the ensuing six years, Butcher has helped thrust numerous Northwestern-founded inventions into the marketplace with thoughtful and collaborative licensing partnerships.
Without a good, firm foundation in place, these technologies are challenged to make it into the marketplace. We want to remove obstacles and provide a cleaner, crisper path to commercialization.”
Katie Butcher, INVO Director of Licensing Strategy and Business Development
Butcher collaborates with INVO’s entire licensing team, which includes creating customized licensing agreements to manage and protect the intellectual property rights of inventors and the University. Whether an exclusive license or an option, Butcher calls a clear, well-crafted licensing agreement crucial to moving a Northwestern-created innovation to market. It governs the company’s business relationship with INVO, communicating key details like royalty rate, fee structure, and milestone requirements.
“Without a good, firm foundation in place, these technologies are challenged to make it into the marketplace. We want to remove obstacles and provide a cleaner, crisper path to commercialization,” says Butcher, who holds a BBA in Music Business Management/Marketing from Belmont University, an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and a MS in Law degree from Northwestern.
With the licensing agreement established, Butcher and her team then maintain an ongoing relationship with each licensee to support growth. She regularly meets one-on-one with company leaders to ensure they have a full and robust understanding of the responsibilities and opportunities with a license. She also works directly with companies to fuel progress, including discussing adjustments to a license given market evolution or feedback.
Today, companies licensing Northwestern technologies are addressing some of society’s most pressing issues, driving a more sustainable world, a healthier world, and a more intelligent world enhanced by data.
“To see these technologies and companies progressing is incredibly exciting,” says Butcher, who calls a “mutually beneficial relationship” for all parties – the principal investigator, the licensing company, Northwestern University, and INVO – her overriding goal.
“There’s no win-loss record here. It’s all about working toward translation and commercial success together. We’re partners here and, ultimately, want to create a licensing deal that supports a company through its growth.”