Tulane Innovation Institute Events

Take your startup funding knowledge to new heights with our 'Series A, B, and Beyond' webinar. Four expert panelists will guide you through the complexities of Series A and B funding rounds and explore the strategies for scaling your business. Whether you're gearing up for your first significant funding round or planning for the future, this session provides key insights into the world of venture capital, helping you navigate the critical funding stages as your startup evolves.  Sign up here for the Zoom link.

Moderated by Sharon Goldsmith, Executive Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs Tulane Innovation Institute

Joel Kantor

In 1987, Joel began consulting for a Chicago-based venture capital firm interested in the innovation emerging throughout the Southeast and led efforts for them in the region.  Ultimately, he was promoted to President, and over 13 years, the firm invested in some 300+ startups in the healthcare field.  Notable investments included the first LTAC Hospital, Assisted Living Facility, and Alzheimer’s Unit in the country, the first multi-state chain of tattoo removal clinics, and the third-largest veterinary clinic company in services; the first orthopedic company to use titanium, the first multi-channel infusion pump, and the now-third-largest dental implant company in the world in devices; and multiple life science companies. The firm also assisted Plax Mouthwash, Sonicare Toothbrushes, and the Clarisonic facial brush in the consumer sector. 

Harris Jones 

Harris Jones has had an extensive career in telecommunications, entrepreneurship, venture capital, and international enterprise leadership roles.  He spent 5 years as an Operating Partner with Adams Capital Management, the Pittsburgh region’s largest venture capital firm.  Harris is also Managing Director of Swallow Point Ventures, a Pittsburgh-based technology growth investor.  SPV targets capital-efficient digital technology businesses and invests in SAAS software, IT, mobile, energy, and mobile companies. In addition, he has a BA degree in public policy from Tulane University and an MBA from the Darden School of the University of Virginia.

Ken OdomKen Odom is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of E4 Holdings, Inc., a holding company with interests and operations in software, technology-enabled services, industrial services, environmental services, and real estate. A graduate of the A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University, Ken also holds an MBA from the University of Houston system and a PhD (ABD) from Faulkner University's Great Books Honors Program. Ken has helped lead E4 three greenfield startups, six acquisitions, two divestitures, and more than $20m in venture equity raises. Ken has extensive experience in strategic planning, investor relations, venture funding, and startup operations. 

Scott ReamerScott Reamer is a capital allocation expert with a broad mix of skills across three industries: asset management, consumer packaged goods, and management consulting. As a portfolio manager he was the chief macroeconomic and quantitative strategist helping to manage a $4 billion derivatives book generating significant double digit returns in 2008 during the most volatile economic period this century. He had responsibility across all G7 asset classes, security types, and geographies. Scott built a first-of-its-kind algorithmic toolset from complex systems science and information theory, licensing the IP to a CTA hedge fund for internal hedging and alpha generation. In total, Mr. Reamer has than 25 years of buy-side and sell-side investment management experience built over every cyclical and secular economic cycle since 1993. As co-founder/CFO/COO of Jackson’s Honest, a snack food company with $10mm revs/yr via national distribution, Mr. Reamer helped to raise >$25mm in equity, debt, and working capital, and exited to a PE firm in 2020. Scott is currently a management consultant at RSM, a $3.5B in revenue, 16,000 employee global middle market consulting, tax, and assurance firm where he is a senior director working in the Enterprise Strategy office.  

Join us for a lively cross-learning opportunity to hear about the innovative research and initiatives our Tulane faculty peers are leading in their respective fields and identify connections for potential partnership. All schools and disciplines welcome! Refreshments will be provided.

If you would like to sign up to present, please contact Jillian Delos Reyes at JDelosreyes@tulane.edu.

Do you have an idea on how to solve a medical or healthcare problem? Come participate in Open MIC (Medical Innovation Challenge) Night. This program is a partnership between the Tulane University Innovation Institute and the Deming Department of Medicine and the Sr. VP & Dean’s Office at Tulane University School of Medicine. The goal of this program is to encourage participants to innovate and think of creative solutions to complex problems.

Ideas can take the form of a drug, medical device, procedure, app, or other creative solution. The best ideas receive $500 and move to the next round for additional funding and 1:1 mentorship from industry experts. Join us for drinks and appetizers as we innovate for tomorrow!  

Medical Students, PhD Students, Postdocs/Residents/Fellows, Faculty, Staff, and anyone at Tulane with ideas for innovative medical solutions

What is this? A 3-Minute Pitch Contest Evaluated by Industry Experts

Explore the potential paths for your startup's future in our 'Exit Strategies Revealed' webinar. Whether considering a public debut with an IPO or seeking the shelter of private equity, this session unveils the options available for your startup's exit strategy. Join us for an in-depth discussion on the considerations, challenges, and advantages of each path, equipping you with the knowledge to make informed decisions for your entrepreneurial journey.  RSVP HERE. 

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Gary Owens serves as the CEO of Mesa Laboratories (NASDAQ: MLAB), a diversified provider of Life Science Tools catering to the biopharmaceutical and clinical genomics segments. With a profound background in strategy, sales & marketing, M&A, company integration, culture building, operations, regulatory compliance, and capital markets, Mr. Owens has successfully led businesses ranging from $40M to $500M in revenue. His prior experience includes roles at Danaher, where he served as Manager, Integration Lead, and played crucial roles in Business Development with Pall, Beckman Coulter Dx, and Beckman Life Sciences. In the early stages of his career, Gary worked with Bain & Company, Trilogy Software, and Accenture, focusing on commercial strategy, commercial execution, and M&A programs.

Gary Owens' technical expertise spans analytics for proteins, cells, genomics, as well as chemical and physical parameters in biopharmaceutical research, development, and bioprocessing, along with clinical diagnostics. His market-level understanding encompasses biotherapeutics based on proteins and emerging modalities in gene therapy, cell therapies, RNA/oligo therapies, peptides, stem cells, ADCs, and more.

Gary Owens holds a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from Tulane University (1990) and earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia Business School in 1994.