Stephen Susalka

Dr. Stephen J. Susalka is the Chief Executive Officer of AUTM, a 3,000+ member non-profit association, focused on supporting and enhancing technology transfer globally, and oversees a cooperative partnership with the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer to support federal technology transfer for more than 300 federal labs across the US.

As an international leader in technology commercialization, Dr. Susalka uses his experience in intellectual property protection, licensing, and company formation to empower, promote and connect AUTM members as they advance the next generation of ground-breaking innovations into the products and services of tomorrow.

A regular speaker on technology transfer issues, Dr. Susalka has frequently presented on Capitol Hill and internationally on topics ranging from start-up formation to the evolution of the profession. He has worked with senior leaders from around the world on strategies to enhance the commercialization of early-stage inventions and has provided testimony to the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology on promoting best practices for intellectual property and technology transfer.

Before joining AUTM, Dr. Susalka served as Associate Director for Commercialization at Wake Forest Innovations.

Dr. Susalka earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Virginia and is a registered U.S. Patent Agent.  He is a past Board member of multiple Wake Forest-affiliated start-ups and is both a Certified Licensing Professional and Registered Technology Transfer Professional.

How Europe Lost Global Biopharmaceutical R&D Leadership to the United States: Lessons for Today

By Anne Prichett Today, the United States leads the world in biopharmaceutical industry research and development (R&D), supporting nearly five million jobs and generating more than $1.65 trillion in economic output. This position of global leadership, however, is relatively recent. Until the late 1980s, Europe–particularly Germany, France,
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If Private Sector R&D Is the Future, IP Policy Must Catch Up

By Chris Borges The President’s Budget Request for fiscal year 2026 (FY 2026) includes steep cuts to federal research and development (R&D) funding—a troubling signal for U.S. innovation and economic security. While congressional committees may push back on the most severe reductions, the signs are clear: Federal R&D funding is likely
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Don’t Tax Invention: The Risks of a Patent Tax

By Sujai Shivakumar and Chris Borges The Commerce Department is reportedly considering a novel revenue-raising idea to address the national debt: a “patent tax.” Under this proposal, patent holders would be required to pay the federal government between 1 and 5 percent of their patents’ assessed value each year. While the
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