Major General Folunsho Oyinlola, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba, near Jos, has decorated 13 senior officers with new ranks.

This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Jos by Lt.-Col. Victor Olukoya, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, of the division.

Among the decorated personnel were nine lieutenant colonels and four lieutenants.

Speaking at the event, Mr Oyinlola charged the newly promoted officers to embrace inclusive leadership and ensure effective supervision of all assigned responsibilities.

Mr Oyinlola, who congratulated the officers on their promotions, also tasked them with discipline, commitment and dedication to duty.

“You must lead by example, remain steadfast in the discharge of your responsibilities and uphold the high standards that earned your elevation.

“The demands of your new ranks require a seamless transition into strategic leadership and sound executive decision-making; you must be deliberate, thoughtful and responsible,” he said.

The GOC thanked the families of the decorated officers for their support towards the career progression of their spouses.

Responding, Lt.-Col. Yusuf Aliyu thanked the Chief of Army Staff for approving their promotion.

He also thanked the GOC for his exemplary leadership, steadfast support and strategic guidance.

Mr Aliyu, who also acknowledged the invaluable role of their spouses in their career progression, assured that the newly promoted officers would justify their elevation and strive to exceed expectations in their new ranks.

(NAN)

For a successful deep tech startup, the laboratory breakthrough is only the first step. To spin out an innovative technology into a scalable business, a founder has to navigate a complicated legal process. 

This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen speaks with Capella Kerst, founder and CEO of geCKo Materials. Kerst was a Stanford PhD student, working on bio-inspired adhesives — materials modeled after the microscopic hairs that allow geckos to stick to walls. She wasn’t looking to be a founder but when she had a major breakthrough that made it possible to make the material rapidly and reliably, she knew it was a viable product. 

But translating a lab discovery into a startup is less about the “eureka” moment and more about everything that comes after.

“I got up the courage to really address my advisor in a very like we need to have a serious conversation about me spinning out this company and starting it,” Capella said. And that conversation was the beginning of a long process of building geCKo materials. 

Here is a roadmap for founders spinning a product out of academia. 

• Reach out to prior contributors. Connect with all the people who’s work lead up to the big breakthrough. Kerst offered these contributors the options to join the company, become advisors, or receive compensation.
• Ensure you reach the requirements for the licensing process. Kerst started conversations with Stanford’s office of Technology licensing early and she learned to spin it out, she’d need to complete her PhD. These early conversations also helped her prepare for the process to come. 
• Form the company and lawyer up. In this case, Stanford provided a list of lawyers Kerst had to use. “I spent time interviewing lawyers and finding out about case studies, what other people got, what did you push, what didn’t work, what got pushed back on. And so I just learned a ton, picked my lawyer, and then we went at Stanford.” said Kerst, “I was like, I want a good deal, because I want this to be a big company, and I think it’ll benefit everybody.”
• Transition fully into the founder role. Once the licensing agreement is finalized, it’s time to shift from PhD to CEO. 

Five years later, geCKo Materials is continuing to scale and develop new ways to apply its adhesive technology which is being tested in applications ranging from robotics and manufacturing to automotive and even space. The company’s material is already in use on the International Space Station, and Kerst says the long-term vision includes replacing traditional attachment methods like Velcro or suction systems.

Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.  

TechCrunch Disrupt: If you’re thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.