Penn Center for Innovation (PCI), the University of Pennsylvania’s tech commercialization arm, wrapped up 2023 by reflecting on its successes and recognizing five outstanding members of its community at its eighth annual Celebration of Innovation on December 5, 2023. The honorees were:

• Holger Kissel, SVP of scientific relations and liaison, on behalf of BioNTech, Deal of the Year
• Shu Yang, Joseph Bordogna Professor, chemical and biomolecular engineering and materials science and engineering at Penn, Inventor of the Year award
• Steve Kelly, president and CEO, on behalf of Carisma Therapeutics, Startup of the Year
• Sean McCooe, president, on behalf of McCooe and Associates, Paul D. Sehnert Memorial Partner of the Year Award
• Firooz Alfatouni, associate professor of electrical and systems engineering at Penn, Emerging Inventor of the Year

“The strength of these commercialization activities is a leading indicator of the world-class innovation and exceptional science pursued by Penn’s faculty and research community,” said John S. Swartley, associate vice provost and managing director of PCI. “The positive translation of these scientific and technical breakthroughs into new products and services in collaboration with our many valued partners in the private sector is having a profound and positive impact on the global population.”