Executive Director of the WVU Innovation Corporation
Matt Harbaugh (JD, MBA) serves as the Executive Director of the West Virginia University Innovation Corporation, an applied research corporation that partners with government and industry to develop, test, evaluate and commercialize new technologies. Matt also leads WVU's Office of Transformation, developing innovative strategies and partnerships to advance the university's overall mission, improve operations, generate revenue and enhance the value of university assets.
Matt has been an active investor, adviser and leader of companies in sectors ranging from software to healthcare and energy technology, and has advised more than 100 companies over the past 16 years. Prior to joining WVU, Matt served as the CEO of a software company developing consumer mobile apps and enterprise software, which was founded by a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and was ultimately acquired by Facebook.
Matt’s prior experience includes serving as the Chief Investment Officer of Innovation Works, Inc., where he managed a $50 million seed fund and invested in companies across the life sciences, IT and energy sectors. The companies receiving investment under Matt’s tenure raised more than $1 billion dollars in follow-on capital from VCs, angels and strategic investors, and were acquired by market-leading companies such as IBM, LinkedIn, Philips Electronics and The Home Depot.
Download Matt Harbaugh's presentation from Academic Media Day.