Innovation Gateway, the University of Georgia’s technology commercialization and startup arm, has named Dan Geller its new director of the Innovation Gateway Startup Program. Geller assumed this role on Oct. 1 after serving as assistant director since 2020.

“I’m excited to welcome Dr. Geller as director of the Innovation Gateway Startup Program,” said Derek Eberhart, associate vice president for research and executive director of Innovation Gateway, a unit of the Office of Research. “With his deep UGA experience and proven commitment to advancing innovation and entrepreneurship, Dan is well positioned to enhance our efforts to translate research discoveries into impactful new ventures. I look forward to working with Dan to accelerate the impact of university-based startups.”

“Dan’s appointment is a well-deserved acknowledgement of his commitment to UGA innovation and represents an exciting step forward for the Innovation District,” said Chris Rhodes, executive director of the Innovation District. “He brings a passion for educating researchers and founders on turning their ideas into thriving companies. I look forward to continuing our strong collaboration and to growing this vibrant, interconnected innovation ecosystem at UGA.”

In his new role, Geller will oversee the ever-growing number of startups formed around UGA intellectual property, guiding faculty, staff and students through the formation process and helping them to secure early-stage funding.

“I’ve been here for 30-plus years, if you count my education,” Geller said. “I have a great love for this university, and in this role I feel I have truly found my calling. It allows me to unite my education and academic career with my experience starting companies and working with non-academics in my other life as a serial entrepreneur.”

Geller earned Triple Dawg status with his Ph.D. in engineering in 2017, which followed a master’s in biological engineering in 1999 and a bachelor’s in biochemistry in 1996. He is no stranger to the commercialization process, having built a career that bridges research and entrepreneurship. An accomplished inventor and entrepreneur, Geller has learned from both successes and — more importantly — failures in his endeavors.

“Those experiences have been a great asset when working with the many diverse companies that emerge from research at UGA,” Geller said.

He has served as a faculty member in the College of Engineering for more than 20 years, attracting research grants and creating new products, such as a sustainable charcoal lighter fluid. In addition to being an accomplished inventor, Geller brings real-world business acumen from two businesses, Kindercore Records and Kindercore Vinyl, as well as plenty of music bands he has started.

The Innovation Gateway startup program supports the launch of startup commercialization efforts across the university and currently manages a portfolio of over 200 projects. Innovation Gateway offers programs that support innovators at every stage of development, from early concept to investor readiness. These include workshops and bootcamps that help participants refine their idea, develop business models and build market strategies through customer discovery.

Along with these programs, Innovation Gateway staff provide mentoring and coaching services and grant-writing assistance, as well as manage a robust incubator system that houses many projects in development.