Stephen K. Markham

Dr. Stephen K. Markham is the Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Executive Director of NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship at NC State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Technology Management from Purdue University, an MBA from UC Irvine, and bachelor's/master's degrees in Social Psychology from Brigham Young University. His work bridges academia and industry, focusing on innovation processes, product development, and entrepreneurship education.

He serves as Executive Director overseeing innovation initiatives and previously directed the Technology, Entrepreneurship & Commercialization (TEC) program and the Center for Innovation Management Studies (CIMS). His industry experience includes roles at Toshiba, BP’s Innovation Board, and as a board member/CEO for startups like LipoScience and Kyma Technologies. He is a PDMA-certified NPD professional and holds patents in biochemistry.

• Education: PhD (Purdue), MBA (UC Irvine), BS/MS (BYU)
• Key Roles: Executive Director, Board Chair (multiple startups), PDMA leadership

Research emphasizes 'front-end of innovation,' product champions, portfolio management, and overcoming the 'Valley of Death' in commercialization. He teaches executive education and MBA courses on innovation leadership. His consulting spans IBM, NASA, P&G, and Cisco.

Notable awards include the David Ross Dissertation Award and PDMA's Distinguished Faculty Extension Award. He actively advises startups and reviews venture capital proposals as an angel investor.