From Lab to Launch: Democratizing Tech Transfer in Kentucky │Kayla Meisner

In this episode of Leading Ladies of Economic Development, Kaycee interviews Kayla Meisner, MEng, CLP, executive director of Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV), a statewide technology transfer and commercialization initiative housed within the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC). Meisner shares how an undergraduate internship at the University of Louisville’s tech transfer office shaped her career and explains how KCV was launched in 2020 as a public-private partnership to support technology transfer and research capacity at Kentucky’s non-R1 institutions and KCTCS. She discusses KCV’s role in advancing multi-institutional tech transfer models, including collaboration with Tennessee that helped inspire TTAC, and highlights successes such as startup formation (Bumped Up Labs and Eastern Scientific), SBIR/STTR wins, and an NSF EXLENT-funded KCV–NKU Invent program that provides virtual commercialization training and paid internships. Lastly, Meisner urges economic developers to build IP literacy, leverage regional assets, and collaborate rather than compete.

In this episode, we explore:

• How Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV) is expanding technology transfer and commercialization opportunities across Kentucky’s regional universities and KCTCS through a statewide, collaborative model.

• How tech transfer turns university research into real-world impact, why intellectual property (IP) matters for economic development, and the often-overlooked work behind bringing innovations to market.

• Success stories from Kentucky, including startup launches, SBIR/STTR funding wins, and the NSF-funded Invent Fellowship, which provides commercialization training and paid internships for students.

• How partnerships across institutions—and even across state lines—are helping democratize access to innovation resources and strengthen Kentucky’s talent pipeline.

• Practical advice for economic developers on building intellectual property literacy, leveraging regional strengths, and collaborating to accelerate innovation-driven growth.

Quotable: “ Kentucky ideas will solve Kentucky problems, and Kentucky's problems are the world's problems.”

Resources and Links
Connect with Kayla Meisner on LinkedIn
Home | Kentucky Commercialization Ventures
Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation | KSTC
NSBE | National Society of Black Engineers
AUTM | The Nonprofit Leader in Technology Transfer
About NSF Engines - Regional Innovation Engines | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation
GAME CHANGE – Advancing carbon centric circular economy technologies for advanced manufacturing solutions (KY, TN)
Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC) - LaunchTN
Home - LaunchTN
Keyhorse Capital
FLC | Home
Launch Tennessee leads new national study to unlock heartland innovation, backed by Kauffman Foundation grant - LaunchTN
NCInnovation | Putting Innovation to Work for All of North Carolina
Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation
EPSCoR Jurisdiction Websites - Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation
BumptUp – For a healthy pregnancy & postpartum journey.
Innovator Spotlight: Dr. Jason Marion on Using Intellectual Property to Advance Water Quality Innovation
Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region
Innovation Fellowship | Kentucky Commercialization Ventures
KCV Launches Startup Internship Program in Partnership with NKU
Welcome | Kentucky Intellectual Property Alliance (KYIPA)
United States Patent and Trademark Office