Ji Eun Kim

Ji Eun Kim, Assistant Director at the Illinois FAST Center, plays a pivotal role in driving the commercialization of innovative ideas and technologies by providing strategic support to startups and small businesses. She leads initiatives to help entrepreneurs secure SBIR/STTR funding, guiding them through the development of competitive proposals that bridge the gap between academic research and market applications. Dr. Kim also organizes training sessions with internal and external experts and collaborates with other incubators and university partners to refine and support commercialization strategies that meet their needs. Additionally, she connects entrepreneurs with relevant subject matter experts and services to accelerate business growth and commercialization efforts.
Before joining the FAST Center, Dr. Kim served as a commercialization manager at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she led comprehensive due diligence and market analysis efforts, supporting the translation of research discoveries and scientific findings into commercial opportunities. She played a key role in helping university startups secure funding and form strategic partnerships, fostering innovation across various life science sectors.
Dr. Kim earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where her research focused on cancer biology and cell stress response mechanisms. Her scientific expertise, combined with her commercialization experience, uniquely positions her to support the FAST Center’s mission of advancing groundbreaking technologies and nurturing a thriving innovation ecosystem.