SparkWorks Innovation
Every Idea is an Opportunity
Trusted Advisor and Partner for Higher Education and Healthcare, bringing ideas to fruition
Fueling Success Through Outsourced Commercialization
Small and Private Universities and Hospitals require continuous innovation to remain viable, yet they often lack the resources to build their own innovation engines. Private universities and small public colleges face declining enrollment and struggle with commercialization. SparkWorks Innovation offers solutions to these challenges, offering outsourced innovation and commercialization and access to advisors and funding.
Assess
SparkWorks assesses the institution's IP portfolio for an initial look at the viability of ideas.
Validate
Through our validation process, we build prototypes and thoroughly test the ideas for scalability and marketability.
Commercialize
Ventures that pass our validation process receive investment for longer term commercialization.
Graduate
Successfully commercialized ventures are lead through a liquidity event for expansion or acquisition.
Meet our team
Dedicated professionals driving our success
Staska Keefer
Co-Founder and General Counsel
Staska is a business savvy attorney who makes legal accessible to everyone. Her unique combination of experience advising ventures and accelerating product development cycles, speeding time to market, make her a key asset. When she is not evaluating IP, Staska supports the local bookstore economy and wrangles cats.
Neil Johnson
VP of M&A and Funding
Neil has more than 25 years of investment banking and private equity experience including completion of over $1 billion of finance transactions involving M&A, equity and debt financings. Neil is a board member and executive of several funds and founder of the annual Healthcare Capital Markets & Innovation Summit.
Kathryn Keefer
Content Writer/Digital Media Manager
Kathryn is an award-winning writer who loves turning ideas into content that educates, inspires, and sparks connection. With experience in copy editing, research, and grant writing, she brings both heart and precision to everything she creates: writing our blogs, curating social media, and crafting meaningful content that makes an impact.
Tom Burden
Zen and the Art of Founding Companies
Tom is a Shark Tank Winner, top Kickstart raiser, and Forbes 30 under 30 as Founder and CEO of Grypmat. Innovation is Tom's passion, he always wanted to be an inventor. Ever since he was a kid, it was his dream. Now Tom is very excited to work with Founders to mold them and bring their dreams to life.
John Ziegler
Co-Founder and CFO in Residence
John is a healthcare innovation leader and entrepreneur. John's experience in operations, healthcare mergers and acquisitions, and early stage investments make him a critical part of our team.
Jamie McKee
CXO in Residence
With over 20 years of experience in operations and leadership, Jamie has developed a unique perspective on what drives success in today's complex landscape. My career has been shaped by a passion for empowering organizations and individuals to make a meaningful difference in the world.
Stephanie Wightman
Engineer in Residence
Stephanie is an engineer with extensive experience building products in a number of startups. She has seen the good and the bad and has no problem saying the Emperor has no clothes. She is a key member of team evaluating viability and accelerating time to market. Stephanie spends her spare time judging robotics competitions.
Doug Gouty
Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO in Residence
Doug is a serial entrepreneur who has founded companies in a variety of industries from IT to the Cinema. He is an expert in sales and monetization as well as a Game Theory Economist. In his spare time he is a national champion in sailing and has circumnavigated the globe on catamaran.
Dan Rockwell
CXO and AI Advisor
Dan Rockwell is a curious innovator with a passion for technology and creative problem-solving. With a background in business creation and a strong interest in human potential, he enjoys exploring the ways artificial intelligence can enhance decision-making, creativity, and personal growth. Dan is particularly fascinated by how AI bridges the gap between human intuition and data-driven insights, opening doors for smarter collaboration and transformative change
Invest in our Member ventures
Our experts bring extensive industry knowledge and experience to deliver top-quality invest strategies every time.
First Access to Invest
We focus on identifying high-potential startups, ensuring scalable and high-impact investments that meet market demands.
First Access to Technology
Using agile investment methods, we deliver flexible, responsive funding solutions that adapt quickly to market trends and opportunities.
Investment Security First
We provide strategic funding and support to innovative startups, helping them thrive in competitive markets.
