Dr Darren Cundy
Darren has had an outstanding career working at the interface of research and commercialisation for nearly two decades. He has worked as a medicinal- and agri-chemical researcher, as a venture capitalist, and as CSIRO Executive Manager – Commercial. In this role, Darren oversaw multiple licensing and new venture transactions and served as the organisation’s nominee director on several of its subsidiary companies.
He has led the technology transfer units at the University of Tasmania and the University of Newcastle. In addition, he has been the interim CEO for the Blue Economy CRC and the CEO of an Agtech spin-off company. He is highly experienced in leading major research funding initiatives including CRC applications and has led the delivery of a series of popular programs to support researchers engage in commercialisation.
Darren has also led projects that have assisted some of CIS’ higher education clients examine the feasibility of major investments into capability extension in the life-sciences domain which included an analysis of potential commercialisation opportunities.
Darren has an exceptional academic background, having a PhD from the University of Queensland (Chemistry) and a Masters in Science & Technology Commercialisation from the University of Adelaide. He is a registered technology transfer professional (RTTP) and has completed the Executive Management course in Private Equity and Venture Capital at Harvard Business School (Boston). Darren is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and Opteon’s, “Licensing Masterclass: Negotiating Controversial & Complex Issues” and Negotiation Partners’, “Professional Negotiation Skills”.
In 2024 Darren established and delivered CIS’ pilot incubator program, the National Agriculture and Food Incubator (NAFI). The founders who enrolled participated in five modules over five months and (with the support of their mentor) explored a range of topics, such as - understanding early-stage investing, leveraging intellectual property to grow competitive advantage and pitching for investment, to help ready their businesses for capital raising.
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