Ken Foster joined the Michigan State University Innovation Center as a Technology Manager in May of 2025, carrying with him over 25 years of product and technology platform development experience from industry leaders including Dow Chemical, GE, and GE legacy organizations. In his role, Ken helps manage intellectual property generated by MSU faculty, working to bridge the gap between innovative research and commercial applications through licensing opportunities and potential start-ups. His mission aligns just so with MSU’s of bringing new university-developed technologies to benefit both the US and the larger global community.
Ken’s journey to the Innovation Center began as a Mentor-in-Residence with the MSU Research Foundation (MSURF), where he discovered his passion for working with MSU faculty and Technology Managers to identify market opportunities for emerging technologies. He holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and completed postdoctoral work with MITI in the city of Tsukuba Japan, where he also studied Japanese language. Beyond his professional achievements, Ken also has a personal connection to MSU—his son graduated from the university in 2024 with a degree in biochemistry and molecular design, conducting cancer research throughout his undergraduate years. Ken also has a daughter who has freshly graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Health Science. Additionally, Ken and his wife run their own successful start-up, Wheeky Pets LLC, which easily demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit Ken holds, alongside a commitment to supporting pet rescue organizations from the family’s Brighton, Michigan home base.
About the MSU Innovation Center:
The MSU Innovation Center combines research partnerships, technology transfer, and startup support for MSU faculty who aim to see their research applied to make the world a better place.
Composed of Business Connect, MSU Technologies, and Spartan Innovations, the MSU Innovation Center aims to amplify the impact of faculty research and drive economic growth while positively impacting society to solve real-world challenges with cutting-edge ideas.
Through mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships with the private sector, we connect MSU faculty with companies for corporate-sponsored research collaborations. We also play a key role in facilitating the commercialization and public use of technologies and copyrightable materials, moving MSU’s innovations from the lab to the marketplace. Importantly, we provide significant support for faculty entrepreneurs in establishing startup companies based on technologies developed at MSU.