Nicole Schwerbrock, Ph.D.

Professional Bio:

Dr. Nicole Schwerbrock is Director of Technology Development and Commercialization at the SBTDC. She and her team assist with the formation and growth of businesses based on technological innovations, providing strategic and tactical advice to pre-venture entities, university start-ups and small businesses. The Technology Development team works with entrepreneurs, particularly those in the life sciences, to develop opportunities for technology commercialization, identify and leverage strategic resources within community and support student engagement. Nicole has direct experience with technology commercialization processes, university technology transfer and startup company formation, SBIR / STTR programs, and student engagement.

Prior to joining the SBTDC, Dr. Schwerbrock served as the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellow at the UNC-Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy (ESOP), where she engaged in identifying, supporting and promoting viable technology commercialization opportunities originating from the School. During her tenure, the School spun out four companies and submitted several successful SBIR/STTR grant applications. Previously, Dr. Schwerbrock served as an R&D scientist for both early-stage and commercial-stage pharmaceutical corporations. She served as Senior Scientist (and sole employee) for Qualiber, an ESOP spinout company as well as a drug development scientist at Sanofi (formerly, Hoechst AG; Frankfurt, Germany).

Areas of Expertise: Business Strategy, Licensing, Technology Planning