Helge Seetzen

Dr. Helge Seetzen (Ph.D. Interdisciplinary Studies in Physics, Computer Science, Psychology, Electrical and Computer Engineering; and B.Sc. Honours Physics and Philosophy, University of British Columbia) is a successful multi-media technology entrepreneur with deep experience in the university tech transfer space. He is the CEO and General Partner of TandemLaunch – a startup foundry that works with driven entrepreneurs to turn research from the world’s best universities into exceptional consumer technology companies. Under his leadership, TandemLaunch has created over 20 technology companies, accounting for hundreds of jobs, and commercialized technologies from over 50 international universities.

Previously, Dr. Seetzen co-founded Sunnybrook Technologies and later BrightSide Technologies to commercialize high dynamic range (HDR) display technology and develop the local dimming LED TV concept. Brightside was successfully sold to Dolby Laboratories, where he led all cross-functional development activities for Dolby's first two consumer video products. In this capacity he built research and engineering departments in Canada and the US, and was closely involved in licensing negotiations with many major consumer electronics manufacturers. 

Dr. Seetzen has been widely recognized through awards such as Business in Vancouver's 40 Under 40 award for business accomplishment, the NSERC Innovation Challenge Award for university technology transfer, and a Special Recognition Award from the Society for Information Display. He serves on the boards of over 20 organizations including MITACS, IVADO, HEC Montreal’s Entrepreneurship Program, and over a dozen private corporations. He is currently the President-Elect of the Executive Board of the Society for Information Display, and a Fellow of the McGill Dobson Center for Entrepreneurship. He has published over 20 journal articles, writes a regular column on venture capital innovation in the Information Display Magazine, and holds over 80 patents with an additional 50 pending US applications.