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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | A P R I L 2 0 2 0 5 6 SMST ENTREPRENEURIALWORKSHOP FOR EFFECTIVEMATERIALS INNOVATION O n behalf of the International Or- ganization on ShapeMemory and Superelastic Technologies (SMST), I am pleased to announce to world class innovators in shape memory alloys (SMAs) that we are planning for an Entrepre- neurial Workshop in the coming year. I will be honored to help kick off this event with Tom Duerig, FASM, and Casey McGlynn, who have both succeeded marvelously and failed painfully in business, cultivating hard- earned wisdom along the way. Both have driven forward with grit and tenacity and so helped drive life-saving, sustained suc- cess in shape-memory-enabledmedical devices for more than three decades. Do you face intellectual property barriers or materials challenges that youwould like to discuss with battle-seasoned experts? Come and learn intimately with us and mine rich ex- perience from Tom Duerig, Casey McGlynn (Wilson Sonsini), Patricia Eisenhardt (AerInno LLC), Ibraheem Khan (Smart- er Alloys), Parik Kumar (WL Gore), Mark Michael (Fort Wayne Metals), Paul Motzki (ZeMa, Universität des Saarlandes), and others who are striving for and achieving real market impact in SMA technology. The barriers to marketable product revenue and real achievement through materials innovation are unique, to say the least. Here is one reason: materials lie at the ground level of most tangible product value chains and have high switching costs, especially in regulated markets such as medical devices and aerospace. Of course, the ultimate market value of solv- ing whatever problemyou are after must outweigh total effort. But, how does one best gain those crucial early user stories to better inform real product discovery? Howdo you define those visionary, early adopter markets, and determine an effective approach? Are you sellingwould-be investors on a convention- al hockey stick growth expectation? This common Silicon-Val- ley assumption may actually sour would-be VC investors who are familiar with Geoffrey Moore’s “Chasm” concept. Andwhat about IPhurdles? The SMA intellectual property web isn’t getting easier to navigate. Add in a dash of intellectu- al property complexity (because most great ideas today really do build on pre-existing knowledge work and patent mills are a reality) and youwill need to hire an SMA field-knowledgeable patent attorney. The practice of capitalizing on innovation is difficult. Doing so in materials-based innovation can be gruel- ing, and to succeed in SMA technical business initiatives, tap- ping into a relevant and astute network of experts is crucial. Bring your questions to our event and continue build- ing the network you need to thrive. Workshop speakers Ibraheem Khan, Dean Pick, Kevin O’Toole, Patricia Eisenhardt, and James Monroe, have all overcome significant odds to find success in SMA orthodontic hardware, standardized SMA ac- tuators, waste-heat scavenging by SMA, SMA-enabled cardiac ablation, and zero thermal expansion-enabled products. You will listen to and network with creative problem solvers that have been where you are going. We plan to hold a SMArt Tank pitch competition to showcase your innovations. We look for- ward to working together as we stir up the future of SMA. Until then, stay healthy. Jeremy E. Schaffer, Ph.D. Immediate Past President, International Organization on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies Schaffer 2 GUEST EDITORIAL