Michael S. Tomczyk

Managing Director
William & Phyllis Mack Center for Technological Innovation
The Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania
3620 Locust Walk - 1050 SH-DH
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6371

Phone: (215) 573-7722
Fax: (215) 746-4830
E-mail: tomczyk@wharton.upenn.edu


Career Profile

Michael Tomczyk is Managing Director of the Mack Center for Technological Innovation at The Wharton School, which he joined in 1995.  He is a member of the Mack Center "Core Group" that guides the agenda of the Center, and serves on the program leadership of the Center's BioSciences Crossroads Initiative.    He has been called a "technology futurist" for his contributions in the field of technological innovation, both in business and academia.

 

At the Wharton School, he conceived and organizes the annual Emerging Technologies Update Day, a unique event that showcases emerging technologies that are looming on the near horizon.

 

Research Interests.  His research interests include emerging technologies, radical (disruptive) innovation, technology forecasting, biosciences, electronic commerce and "out of the box" strategies for product management and marketing. 

He joined Wharton in 1995 as Managing Director of the Emerging Technologies Management Research Program and became Managing Director of the Mack Center in 2005.  In this capacity, he works closely with senior faculty and researchers to guide the program, and serves as primary liaison to industry partners including market leaders in many industries.  Michael prepares all of the Mack Center's printed research reports and conference summaries; and edits the center's newsletter and website.

Emerging Technologies Update Day.  Michael originated and hosts the annual Emerging Technologies Update Day, showcasing innovations looming on the near horizon that have the potential to change industries, strategies and markets.  Technologies presented at this event have included hydrogen fuel cells, DNA identification, personalized medicine, biometrics, solid state lighting, space travel, tidal turbines, proteomics, NASA space projects, cars of the future...to name a few.

He participates as an advisor on international grants and awards, recognizing achievements by individuals and organizations in business and technology. 

Future of BioSciences.  In 2002, he helped organize the BioSciences Crossroads Initiative, which provides strategic insights to firms that are developing, deploying and/or commercializing life science technologies (genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, stem cells, etc.).  

 

He is co-editor (with Paul Schoemaker - pictured left) of The Future of BioSciences: Four Scenarios for 2020 and Their Implications for Human Healthcare published in May 2006.  This 130-page report is part of a long-term project to identify and monitor key factors that will impact commercialization of emerging life science technologies through 2020 and beyond. 

 

Michael's interests in biosciences date back to 1996 when he co-authored a white paper entitled "Obstacles to Commercialization of Gene Therapy" (published in Nature Biotechnology).   In 2005 he served on the International Advisory Committee of the industry organization, BIO. 

In Fall 2007 he was appointed to the Penn School of Medicine's Commercialization Core, an activity of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, partly supported by a Clinical Translational Science Award from the NIH.

Business Achievements

Michael has been involved in emerging technologies for most of his career—as a corporate executive, management consultant, entrepreneur, and research program director.

He is best known for his role in the design, management and launch of the first Commodore home computers in the 1980s and has been called the "marketing father" of the home computer.  He joined Commodore as assistant to the president and marketing strategist, and quickly became an early champion of home computing. 

As international product manager for the Commodore VIC-20, he helped design and launch the first microcomputer to sell over one million units, and managed the teams responsible for Commodore's best-selling game software, hardware accessories and packaging/promotion.  He conceived and co-designed the first affordable direct connect modem (VICModem), and pioneered the Commodore Information Network, an early precursor to the Internet that became the largest CompuServe community site in 1982.  He helped develop the strategy that took the first home computers into mass market channels such as K-Mart, and worked with international counterparts in 21 countries to position Commodore products internationally.  During his tenure at Commodore, the company's annual revenues rose from $125 million to over $1 billion.. His experiences are recounted in his best-selling 1985 memoir, The Home Computer Wars.

During the 1990s, he helped companies transition to electronic commerce and provided guidance to numerous firms involved in launching new digital technologies (Chilton Publishing, GlaxoSmithKline, Hewlett-Packard,  Motorola).  He has been a board member and/or advisor to a succession of successful technology startups in the Delaware Valley including: Group Cortex, Bilenniatech, NetXentry, Parallel Computers Technology (PCTI) and VI Labs.  He occasionally advises firms on new technology products and strategies.  He has advised U.S. government agencies on a variety of projects including a major report predicting technology trends, reviews of government technology grants, and security-related initiatives.

Earlier in his career he was involved in the launch of such pioneering technologies as Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) and CT Scanning.

Representative Speeches & Presentations

During 2006-2007, Michael has been a keynote speaker at three Frost & Sullivan's industry outlook conferences; and the IPC Executive Market & Technology Forum (Electronics Industry).   His presentation topics have included: "Technology Time Travel: Predicting and Developing Radical Innovations,"  "Deal Or No Deal: Creative Strategies For Assessing Technology Growth Opportunities," and "Connecting With the Future: Emerging Technologies, Strategies and Opportunities."  At Wharton, he presented "Scientific Breakthroughs That Will Change the World" at the Wharton Fellows Program and LinKS program.

Articles and Columns

Michael started his career as a journalist in college.  He has been a magazine and newspaper columnist; a commentator on National Public Radio (Marketplace); and appeared on various television shows such as The Today Show.   He has written more than 140 business articles and columns, on a broad range of topics.  A few examples include:

"The Emerging Role of Telecommunications" - Co-edited special issue of the journal, Technological Forecasting & Social Change

“Critical Issues in Gene Therapy Commercialization,” Nature Biotechnology (1996 w. A. Persidis) .  Co-authored a white paper entitled:  Obstacles to Commercialization of Gene Therapy (1996 w. A. Persidis).  This article and white paper predicted many of the obstacles that have stalled commercial development in gene therapy after more than a decade of research and $1 billion in investment.

Export Today Magazine; Contributing Editor, 1985-1995.  Michael authored articles and features focused on best practices for doing business in overseas markets, including: foreign site selection, risk management, export marketing and financing, special issues on Asia and Eastern Europe.

Newspaper & Magazine Columns:  Weekly newspaper column in the 1990s (business how-to topics), and a monthly magazine column on basic programming in the 1980s.

Books & Reports

The Home Computer Wars: An Insider's Account of Commodore and Jack Tramiel (Hardcover and paperback book, ABC/Chilton, 1986); a best-selling personal memoir.  Michael also co-authored the Commodore VIC-20 and C-64 User Manuals and Reference Guides and numerous chapters for computer books.

The Future of BioSciences: Four Scenarios for 2020 and Their Implications for Human Healthcare (May 2006); Co-edited (with Paul Schoemaker) This 130 page report explores key factors, uncertainties, drivers and future scenarios that will impact the commercialization of new life science technologies; also co-authored the interim report in 2003.

In Progress:  Currently writing a book on radical innovations that offer world-changing possibilities.

Military

During 1970-1973, Michael was an officer  in the U.S. Army (highest rank, captain).  He served as an airborne officer with the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, NC; spent more than a year in Vietnam with the lst Signal Corps; and served in Korea with USASTRATCOM and the United Nations command.  He was awarded the Bronze Star and Army Commendation medals for his Vietnam service.  He received his commission through Army ROTC where he was a Distinguished Military Student. 

Education

Master of Business Administration, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). (International Marketing) 

Bachelor of Arts, University of Wisconsin (Literature, Journalism & Spanish - Recipient, Distinguished Alumni Award)

Postgraduate study: Currently enrolled in the Environmental Studies Graduate Program at the University of Pennsylvania, studying and researching technology solutions to environmental issues.

Organizations/Memberships

American Management Association
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
New York Biotechnology Association
Product Development & Management Association