Lauren Bic Ha

Lauren Bic Ha has over two decades of experience in technology development and innovation within academic and research environments. Currently serving as Associate Vice President for Technology Development and Innovation at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology since July 2010, Lauren established a division dedicated to commercializing academic discoveries, leading to over 100 collaborations and more than 20 spin-off companies, while securing 2 billion JPY in research funding. Previously, as Innovation Ecosystem Development Coordinator and Managing Director at The BioBricks Foundation, Lauren co-founded a non-profit organization, organized an international conference, and developed open-source biological standards. Earlier career experiences include serving as Vice President Administration at the Molecular Sciences Institute, where Lauren worked alongside Nobel Laureate Sydney Brenner, raised $50 million in research funding, and developed the institute's operational infrastructure. Lauren Bic Ha holds a BS in Biology from the University of South Carolina.