Director
Jakub Felkl, Ph.D.
Jakub is Director of Product Development at Seismos, a data analytics software company providing intelligent subsurface imaging and oil & gas production optimization. At Seismos, he manages development and engineering of two science-driven products for subsurface imaging – one for hydraulic fracturing and second one in enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
Prior to his position at Seismos, Jakub served as Assistant Director at the Central Texas Regional Center for Innovation and Commercialization and the Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities (TFIC) where he supported high-growth technology firms. At TFIC, he led partners statewide on growing regional innovation ecosystems, business incubation, improving manufacturing competitiveness, and supporting Texas infrastructure to build research parks. Previously he worked in Cleantech & IT verticals at The Austin Technology Incubator. Among other accomplishments at ATI, he successfully spearheaded and executed a $2.5million budget grant effort focused on nationally prototyping best practices in incubation of clean energy companies (DOE NIICE–SRCEII). Jakub is passionate about improving the world through innovation.
Jakub’s degrees are Master’s in Plasma Physics/Nuclear Fusion and PhD in Manufacturing & Design (Mechanical Engineering) with focus on New Product Development, Innovation, and Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas at Austin (UT). At UT, he led the Global Idea to Product (I2P®) Program for innovation and technology entrepreneurship education. He has been involved with I2P® since 2006 in team NANOTaxi, finalist in the Rice Business Competition, and a winner of the Nano I2P® in 2007. He executed and supported Global and UT-Austin I2P® events from 2008-2013. Focus of NANOTaxi was on commercializing targeted nano-sized drug delivery device for cancer treatment.
Jakub has consulted on new technology product development internationally – to over 100 companies, various groups, startups, and teams in energy, physical & life sciences, and IT sectors. He has also taught technology entrepreneurship and innovation classes to 1000+ students at the University of Texas at Austin.
Jakub enjoys adventure, travel, photography, and exploring – his passions are outdoor activities from backpacking, canoeing, caving, to orienteering and sailing. When “trapped” indoors, Jakub enjoys art, cooking, reading, socializing, tinkering, and to relax, he builds, improves or fixes things.