Teaching scientists how business works | Teaching executives how their scientists think | Technology Commercialization | Startup Advisor | Author | Speaker | Entrepreneur

Every year, billions in potential innovation die in the gap between academia and industry:

   1. Universities produce breakthrough research that never reaches the market. 
   2. Companies struggle to access cutting-edge knowledge trapped in academic silos. 
   3. Promising partnerships collapse over miscommunication, misaligned expectations, and fundamental cultural differences.

After 25 years bridging these worlds—developing 7 patented technologies, managing multi-million-dollar R&D budgets, and leading product commercialization from concept to market—I've seen the same pattern: brilliant minds speaking different languages with no translator.

I founded TurningScience to be that translator.

Because scientists aren't "overqualified." They're brilliant, in the wrong language. 

Universities aren't exclusionary "ivory towers"—they're innovation powerhouses that need better business vocabulary. Companies aren't just "profit-focused"—they're solution-hungry organizations that need to understand the deep pool of academic expertise and value.

Through workshops at 60+ institutions across 4 different continents, I’ve helped institutions bridge this divide:

1. Universities prepare graduates for the industry careers 90% will actually have—not just the well-trodden academic path.
2. Researchers secure corporate partnerships worth millions by communicating research value in business terms.
3. Companies implement processes that convert scientific talent into sustained competitive advantages.

My approach doesn't ask either side to compromise their identity.

I teach academics to leverage their expertise as industry currency while helping companies recognize the transformative potential sitting right in front of them.

Unfortunately, most PhD career advice comes from people who've never hired a single scientist in industry. It’s sad, but true. 

My frameworks come from repeatedly watching bright PhDs either thrive or crash based on one critical skillset: translation between research knowledge and business impact.

My three books, including "It's a Game, Not a Formula," have become essential guides for thousands navigating this transition. But books only start the conversation—real change happens when organizations commit to bridging the divide systematically.

My mission is ensuring breakthrough discoveries don't die in translation—they become solutions that shape our world.

The world needs scientific innovation more than ever. 

If you’re ready to unlock the collaboration potential at your organization, please visit my website: wwww.TurningScience.com

"In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, semiconductor innovation is being fueled by strong partnerships between universities and industry leaders."

Great article by Polar Semiconductor on the value of 'Strengthening the bridge between academia and industry: 
https://lnkd.in/geiiyXxh

Of the multiple engagement pathways describe in the article, my favorite is 'Fueling Innovation Through Research Collaboration.'

'𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦-𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘨𝘢𝘱 𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 (𝘎𝘢𝘕). 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳. 𝘉𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺, 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘭𝘢𝘣 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘣, 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺, 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺.'

Also great to read about their participation in the SCALE (Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement) program with Purdue University.

Thanks to John Ghekiere for the heads up on this article!

David Giltner

Facilitating Academia-Industry Partnerships | Specialized Training for PhDs, Postdocs, PIs & University Leaders | 3x Published Author | 200+ Workshops Conducted Across 60+ Institutions

Academia-industry partnerships are a critical element of innovation

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