Director of Student Innovation Programs | Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
tkatona@calpoly.edu
Tom Katona is the academic program director for the Cal Poly Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) and a professor of innovation and entrepreneurship, helping students navigate the intersection of technology, product development and business. He brings a unique combination of technical expertise, industry experience and business perspective to students working to turn ideas into viable ventures.
Before joining Cal Poly, Tom held senior roles at three successive startups (SET Inc., Soraa and NEXT Lighting) working in solid-state lighting and semiconductor technologies. He earned a doctorate in electrical and computer engineering from UC Santa Barbara and an MBA from the University of South Carolina.
When he’s not helping students bring their ideas to life, Tom loves singing karaoke and participating in the SLO Holiday Parade — just look for the guy dressed as Buddy the Elf!
