UAlbany Names Entrepreneur in Residence to Advance Regional Businesses

As Entrepreneur in Residence, Robert W. Manasier will help facilitate the commercialization of University and privately developed technology. (Photo Mark Schmidt)

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 9, 2017) -- With the goal of supporting and promoting the regional small business community, the University at Albany has named Robert W. Manasier as Entrepreneur in Residence/New Ventures Manager.

In this new position, Manasier will manage a portfolio of new startup business ventures affiliated with the UAlbany Innovation Center, the University’s newly branded incubation program. He will also provide mentorship, support and coaching to a regional portfolio of startups affiliated with Innovate 518, the UAlbany-led Innovation Hot Spot for the Capital Region.

These new business ventures will benefit from these services and Manasier’s experience and knowledge in entrepreneurial business development, to facilitate the commercialization of University and privately developed technology.

"The University at Albany is experiencing transformational growth in the area of entrepreneurship and business development," said Vice President for Research James Dias. "To fully capitalize on this opportunity and to assist our students, faculty and new innovative business partners, we need a seasoned entrepreneurial leader like Robert to take the commercialization of our technology to the next level.”

For the past twelve years, Manasier has served as President and CEO of In Focus Brands, a B2B branding consultancy and operational firm that helps to facilitate the creation and implementation of strategic plans and operational change for over 100 startup launches.

“Working with our Small Business Development Center, the Blackstone LaunchPad and our other regional partners in Innovate 518, the Center for Economic Growth and RPI, we are very confident that more of our intellectual property will be brought to market through these thriving new businesses,” continued Dias.

Manasier is the organizer of StartUp Weekend Saratoga where he also served as a coach and judge, along with serving as a regional and finals judge in the N.Y.S. Business Plan Competition from 2013-2015. Additionally Manasier serves as a digital marketing mentor for the Ignite U business accelerator program. He is also an alumnus of the University at Albany with a bachelor of arts degree in medical anthropology/biology.

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