Neil Kane

Neil Kane serves as Director of Curriculum and Capstone Advising and Assistant Teaching Professor in the ESTEEM Program at the University of Notre Dame, leveraging extensive experience in academic entrepreneurship and technology commercialization across multiple institutions.

His academic credentials include:

• BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois
• MBA from The University of Chicago

Dr. Kane specializes in translating university research into marketable ventures, with deep expertise in nanotechnology commercialization and advanced materials innovation. His work focuses on building entrepreneurial ecosystems within academic settings, developing curricula that bridge engineering principles with business strategy, and mentoring students through real-world technology commercialization projects. He actively shapes national innovation policy through advisory roles while maintaining hands-on engagement with startup formation.

His distinguished recognition includes:

• Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum (2007)
• Mover and Shaker award by Frost & Sullivan (2007)

In his current ESTEEM role, Kane advises graduate students on capstone projects commercializing Notre Dame research, while serving on the U.S. Secretary of Commerce's National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE). His prior leadership positions include directing entrepreneurship programs at Michigan State University, serving as Innovation Executive in Residence at the University of Illinois Research Park, and mentoring NSF's inaugural Innovation Corps cohort at Stanford. Industry experience spans engineering and business development roles at IBM and Microsoft.