A flexible approach to managing investments.

On a case-by-case basis, the Tokarz Group (TTGA) also provides advisory services outside the scope of its traditional investment business. Because of our deep experience within Motorola, our team, on behalf of MVC, oversees a portfolio of its investments in non-core technology industries.

Although TTGA is private equity-focused, this relationship is advantageous to us and to Motorola because many of our team members are historically familiar with Motorola’s holdings and because of what we provide: a very seasoned venture/private equity team with operational and transaction skills that can quickly, efficiently and thoughtfully aid Motorola in decisions related to improving the overall performance of its investments.

Leveraging IP for growth.

For growth companies to succeed, they must develop innovations that will take market share from established companies. This requires understanding where markets are headed and leveraging intellectual property. The same holds true for institutions and universities that apply for state and federal funding. TTGA provides oversight for one major academic institution, and it exemplifies two of our core skills: the problem solving necessary in assuming the management of a high-potential operation; and the sensitivity necessary in changing the culture of an underachieving operation.

Universities that receive federal funds for scientific research are bound by regulations to attempt to commercialize their more important advances, and this is typically facilitated by a university “technology transfer” office. It can generate significant cash flow for a school that is savvy in licensing a breakthrough medical technology, for example. But this large university’s technology transfer office had become inactive, and TTGA was retained in 2007 to rebuild it.

A new model – and new revenue streams

We put a new model of commercialization in place and have so far analyzed almost 200 of 700 technologies, with roughly 60 lucrative licensing deals made by mid-2009. The analysis considers strength of property, level of development, ease of implementation and market timing and involves considerable discussion with Fortune 500 industry executives to assess value and market opportunity. The strong, strategic functioning of the tech-transfer process at this major research institution is under way, and TTGA is proud of this work and the skill it represents.