Biography

Fathi Abdelsalam has over fifteen years of leadership experience at the nexus of innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, and policy. As the executive director of URI’s Office of Intellectual Property and Economic Development, he assists faculty with patenting and licensing technologies, and serves as an ex-officio member of the University’s Intellectual Property Committee. His experience as a senior patent examiner at the USPTO equipped him with deep insights into patent regulations and prosecution, where he worked with companies like Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and IBM.

A former technology-company founder, Abdelsalam explored IP from a commercial angle, formulating strategies and overseeing the patent application process. His role as an advisor to governments and development organizations has given him a global view of IP’s role in innovation and economic development. He’s also advised startups on IP management and monetization best practices.

His professional journey also includes serving as adjunct faculty at the Wayne State University School of Business, managing director at Lean Rocket Lab, and entrepreneur-in-residence at various venture capital firms, such as Starta VC and Techstars. Abdelsalam’s education includes a master’s in administration from Cornell University and dual B.S. degrees in industrial engineering and economics from Florida State University.