Sanjiv Chopra

Sanjiv Chopra serves as a Visiting Lecturer at the Technology Entrepreneur Center (TEC) of the University of Illinois. He concurrently holds the position of Chief Operating Officer at Intersymbol Communications, Inc., a venture-backed company developing optical communications technology. With over 30 years of experience in technology and management, he has co-founded two startups, including CapacityWeb, Inc., and advised multiple ventures. His expertise spans semiconductor product development, strategic financing, and technology commercialization.

Education:

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, BIT, India
• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Iowa State University
• MBA, Northwestern University, Chicago

Research & Professional Focus: Chopra specializes in bridging academic innovation with entrepreneurial practice. He teaches courses like TE 565 (Technology Innovation & Strategy) and TE 567 (Venture Funded Startups), emphasizing venture capital dynamics, startup lifecycle management, and IP commercialization. His unique perspective combines decades of industry leadership with academic mentorship.

Professional Contributions: He secured venture capital for startups, negotiated exclusive IP licenses from the University of Illinois, and advised through his Booz Allen & Hamilton tenure. His work focuses on scalable technology deployment and strategic business planning in emerging markets.