Accelerate the Impact of Your University Startups

Universities change lives, but tech transfer is how universities change the world. I help university-affiliated startups make the most efficient transition from research to success.

“Otto fits a critical part of our support structure for early-stage academic startups. Our founders think of Otto as their secret superpower.”

Bob Scharf

Director, Cornell Praxis Center for Venture Development

“Otto fits a critical part of our support structure for early-stage academic startups. Our founders think of Otto as their secret superpower.”

Bob Scharf

Director, Cornell Praxis Center for Venture Development

“Otto fits a critical part of our support structure for early-stage academic startups. Our founders think of Otto as their secret superpower.”

Bob Scharf

Director, Cornell Praxis Center for Venture Development

I Make the Complex Simple

My father was a physics professor who delighted in showing his kids the clear and elegant rules that govern the natural world. That has stayed with me. When I became a journalist, one of my favorite publications to write for was the Science section of The New York Times, where I translated academic research for broad consumption. The power of simplicity was a key principle for my students at the USC Annenberg School of Communication, where I created and taught Communication Strategies for Innovators and Entrepreneurs.

“Otto’s webinars and 1:1 sessions are some of the most valuable programming we have.”

Nicole Sheppard

CU Boulder Venture Partners

“Otto’s webinars and 1:1 sessions are some of the most valuable programming we have.”

Nicole Sheppard

CU Boulder Venture Partners

“Otto’s webinars and 1:1 sessions are some of the most valuable programming we have.”

Nicole Sheppard

CU Boulder Venture Partners

“Otto has driven our companies to success with investors, potential hires, and the broader entrepreneurial community.”

Ying Yang

Cornell Praxis Center for Venture Development

“Otto has driven our companies to success with investors, potential hires, and the broader entrepreneurial community.”

Ying Yang

Cornell Praxis Center for Venture Development

“Otto has driven our companies to success with investors, potential hires, and the broader entrepreneurial community.”

Ying Yang

Cornell Praxis Center for Venture Development

Let’s Work Together

Universities support entrepreneurship in different ways. Here are some ways I partner:

Retainer Consultant or EIR

If you’re serious about accelerating the impact of companies in which your university has ownership, hire me as a portfolio resource.

Workshops and Webinars

Do you run programs to support faculty and entrepreneurs? Prepping a group of companies for demo day? I do group training that can be combined with 1:1 follow-up consulting.

Preferred Provider

Do you have one or more startups that need to tell their story better? I’d love the introduction.

“Our companies have raised over $500m at over valuation over $3b. That’s in large part because we communicate well to the investors in the language that they expect, and that’s thanks to the work of Otto and his group.”

Lou Walcer

Director, Cornell Center for Life Science Ventures

“Our companies have raised over $500m at over valuation over $3b. That’s in large part because we communicate well to the investors in the language that they expect, and that’s thanks to the work of Otto and his group.”

Lou Walcer

Director, Cornell Center for Life Science Ventures

“Our companies have raised over $500m at over valuation over $3b. That’s in large part because we communicate well to the investors in the language that they expect, and that’s thanks to the work of Otto and his group.”

Lou Walcer

Director, Cornell Center for Life Science Ventures

Join the Newsletter

Join my newsletter and I’ll send you my free e-book, Storytelling Secrets for Deep-Tech CEOs

Otto Pohl helps startups accelerate success. As an expert in B2B storytelling, he has developed narratives for hundreds of companies to attract investors, customers, and industry partnerships.

© 2024 Core Communications LLC

Join the Newsletter

Join my newsletter and I’ll send you my free e-book, Storytelling Secrets for Deep-Tech CEOs

Otto Pohl helps startups accelerate success. As an expert in B2B storytelling, he has developed narratives for hundreds of companies to attract investors, customers, and industry partnerships.

© 2024 Core Communications LLC

Join the Newsletter

Join my newsletter and I’ll send you my free e-book, Storytelling Secrets for Deep-Tech CEOs

Otto Pohl helps startups accelerate success. As an expert in B2B storytelling, he has developed narratives for hundreds of companies to attract investors, customers, and industry partnerships.

© 2024 Core Communications LLC