Allen Dines named 5 Lakes+MRUN Fellow

Milwaukee, Chicago – Allen Dines, Executive Advisor at WISC Partners, has been named the inaugural 5 Lakes+MRUN Fellow. This position is a joint appointment with 5 Lakes Institute and Midwest Research University Network (MRUN).

In his new role, Dines will work on projects to build the cohesiveness and competitiveness of Midwest/Great Lakes region universities and their ecosystems.

“The partnership between MRUN and 5 Lakes Institute opens up opportunities to strengthen the connections between the region’s many outstanding research universities and Midwest business and investor networks,” Dines said. “I’m excited to be part of this work to forge initiatives that will enhance the success of innovative research-based ventures while growing the economic vitality of the Midwest and Great Lakes region.”

Dines is a senior executive who has spent more than three decades at the nexus of business, science and technology. His passion is the creation and growth of new ventures. He serves as an advisor to the general partners at WISC Partners, a venture and strategic capital firm based in Madison. He is also active with Merlin Mentors, and gener8tor, and continues to advise several graduates of those programs. He serves on the steering committee for Global Midwest Alliance’s annual corporate venture capital program.

Among his accomplishments, Dines founded and took two biotechnology ventures to acquisition and was business lead at Agracetus, which was acquired by Monsanto. He also created and directed the New Ventures program at the UW-Madison Office of Corporate Relations and was co-founder and president of MRUN.

“We’re excited to bring Allen back into an active role as the inaugural 5 Lakes+MRUN Fellow,” said Tim Honaker, MRUN’s President. “Allen and his MRUN co-founders had a vision for building a cooperative economic engine in this region and he’ll bring that vision to his Fellow position in new and exciting ways.”

The Midwest/Great Lakes region’s research organizations do more than $21 billion of research every year and are among some of the top institutions in the country. Tying those research assets even more tightly to entrepreneurial support and corporate and industrial efforts in the region is the goal of 5 Lakes+MRUN programming and other activities.

“Allen‘s business development experience in academia and industry, and with startups and venture capital investing, will deliver strong resources to the 5 Lakes+MRUN network,” said Kathleen Gallagher, Executive Director of 5 Lakes Institute. “We’re thrilled that Allen has agreed to bring his talents and experience to the Fellow role.”

Dines has graduate degrees in Natural Resources and Business Administration and an undergraduate degree, all from the University of Michigan.

About 5 Lakes Institute:

Founded in 2007, the Institute is a curated network of entrepreneurs, research organizations, investors and business and government leaders that drives and amplifies diverse and inclusive tech-enabled GDP growth in the Midwest and Great Lakes region. Along with its work with MRUN, the Institute holds conferences and mixers in tech/entrepreneurial focus areas and sponsors the Midwest Moxie podcast, which features the region’s successful startup founders.

About MRUN:

Midwest Research University Network (MRUN) is built on the idea that regional cooperation around new business formation can accelerate commercialization of university research. It was founded in 2002 by business development and commercialization leaders at seven of the Midwest’s largest research universities – University of Chicago, University of Illinois Champagne Urbana (UIUC), University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

5 Lakes Institute and MRUN operate virtual programs that connect university commercialization and innovation leaders with investors and highlight the region’s related initiatives, ideas and resources.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.