Gordon Hoffman and Bill Newman, the founders and principals of Oregon Technology Development Partners (OTDP), have been active in commercializing technology for more than three decades. As Managing Directors at Northwest Technology Ventures since 2002, the principals of OTDP have initiated or partnered with entrepreneurial teams to launch multiple portfolio companies.
Finding and forming investment opportunities within the academic and commercial research realms, their role at NTV has been to lead the first institutional investment round - in many cases the first-money-in for these ventures. Funding can be early, even prior to incorporation, to support critical proof-of-concept demonstrations, protection of intellectual property, and negotiation of technology license agreements. The relationship continues with additional investment as well as identification of follow-on funding sources, and continues post-investment, providing ongoing services to portfolio companies. Beyond NTV's portfolio, Newman and Hoffman's clients and collaborators have included several state universities, PNNL / Battelle and the Providence Hospital System.
OTDP also provides pure consulting services to private and public sector clients that further advance the technology entrepreneurship and research partnership culture in Oregon.
Representative Roles & Accomplishments
- Presenting more than 50 seminars and workshops at OHSU, PSU, Providence and Legacy Hospital Systems in partnership with licensing and commercialization offices to educate faculty and staff on the commercialization process.
- Founding the New Economy Coalition prior to the 2000 legislative session, initiating the 1st Oregon Business Summit, and actively working to pass significant knowledge-based economic development legislation. This included Oregon Ballot Measure 10 (allowing universities to hold equity in spinouts); legislation critical to the state's investing in early-stage venture funds; revision of City of Portland statutes (resulting in favorable taxation of venture capital funds within the city); and participation in the concept and structure of the University Venture Development Fund.
- Serving as founding members and technical advisors to the Oregon Council on Knowledge and Economic Development (now the Oregon Innovation Council), and participating in the creation of the Signature Research Center concept that now sustains dozens of innovative new enterprises.
- As founding members of the ONAMI Commercialization Advisory Council, providing assessments and recommendations for proof-of-concept funding for research sector discoveries. As members of the OHSU Bioscience Innovation Fund Advisory Board, assessing and recommending commercialization gap funding for bioscience technologies.
