After leaving the mayor's office earlier this year, Samir Mayekar has been named managing director of the University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Mayekar will take over effective Nov. 6.
Mayekar will help advance innovation, technology commercialization and entrepreneurship at the university.
It's an area the former deputy mayor of Chicago has had some experience in the past, having founded NanoGraf, a Chicago battery tech startup, which recently raised an oversubscribed $65 million Series B to help scale its North America production.
As deputy mayor, Mayekar focused on economic and neighborhood development and will look to bring that same passion as he hopes to accelerate the commercialization of critical technologies at the Polsky Center. The UChicago startup incubator first launched in 1998 and provides training and venture support for students pursuing opportunities in entrepreneurship. It's been the birthplace of several growing startups over the years including Natuur Brands.
Part of the mission of the Polsky Center will be to advance a wide range of technologies, including some in the clean energy space, life sciences and quantum startups and more.
Prior to working for Chicago, Mayekar also served in the Obama administration.
