How Temple used LinkedIn to create a university startup

Could LinkedIn be the OKCupid for universities and entrepreneurs?

When a university wants to commercialize a technology developed on its campus, it first needs to find an business partner: an entrepreneur to head a university startup or a corporation that will license the technology. Two years ago, Temple University turned to LinkedIn to find an entrepreneur who could bring a Temple-made technology to market, posting a story about the technology on the social media site, according to a university press release.

LinkedIn did the trick.

An entrepreneur in Corpus Christi, Tex. named Bert Quintanilla read the story and contacted Temple. Today, he runs Hydro Enviro Clean, a Texas startup that licensed technology developed by Professor Daniel Strongin. The technology helps clean water used in hydro-fracking. Temple holds equity in the startup, according to a spokesman.