About
Over the past 25 years, Gen5 Group has built a reputation for solving complex technical problems, helping clients across a broad range of industries to make informed business decisions, develop new technologies, or improve profitability. The firm excels when the business pain is real, but the pathway to solution is unclear.
Each client engagement is hand crafted and attacked with a start-up mentality:
Urgency to work quickly
Using a flexible business model and well-tested analytical tools, our teams can respond to the time pressures of our clients and are regularly noted for the quick delivery of results – we can serve as a catalyst at any stage of the development process or lead the effort from idea generation through prototyping.
Relentless determination to remove roadblocks
Gen5 excels in navigating the “unknown”; we are industry agnostic and our approach to system analysis is vital to reframing problems in ways that shed new insight and open up new pathways to solution.
Experience-based courage to see things differently and conceive new ideas
Gen5 approaches each problem with a functional lens; we do not duplicate the in-house expertise of our clients; instead, we extend our client’s reach, seamlessly navigating across scientific disciplines or industry domains to unlock new value for existing products or processes.
Agility to test, validate, and modify as needed
Gen5 scientists have the flexibility to carry out theoretical work, laboratory experiments, and prototyping – avoiding static stage gate processes, we deploy an iterative approach aimed at squeezing development time.
The results are sometimes surprising, typically inspiring, and always responsive to the business needs of our clients.
Project Teams
Each client engagement is carried out by a dedicated core team of Gen5 scientists and engineers. Depending on the needs of the project, the team may be expanded to include domain-specific subject matter experts, innovation experts, designers, researchers, laboratory technicians, information specialists, or IP specialists.
Subject Matter Experts
Gen5 has the ability to seamlessly expand and contract the make-up of a project team by tapping the resources of the firm’s extensive network of subject matter experts. Experts are called upon for technical consultation in narrow scientific disciplines, advanced analytical modeling to support new ideas, or physical experiments to validate feasibility of new concepts. On each project, however, it is the Gen5 core team that is responsible for developing solutions to meet the goals of the project.
Confidentiality
All work is carried out on a confidential basis. In addition to standard confidentiality agreements, Gen5’s functional approach to problem framing adds an extra layer of confidentiality. We work with experts in general functional terms without revealing the specific applications, products, or names of our clients. Experts that consult with a Gen5 team are not exposed to the full objective and scope of the project.
IP Ownership
On every Gen5 project, the client owns any IP that may result from the work. If patent applications are submitted, Gen5 scientists may be the inventors on the patent, but the client is the assignee, as can be seen in the extensive list of patents. Gen5 can prepare technical documentation in support of a patent application and may serve as technical advisors to the client’s legal team.
LEADERSHIP team
Sam Kogan
CEO
Dr. Kogan has more than 30 years of experience in Research and Development and innovation. His work has been adopted by leading global companies such as GE, Intel, Siemens, Proctor & Gamble, Novartis, Honda, Motorola, Colgate Palmolive and others.
Dr. Kogan has extensive experience in working with the VC community and startup companies. He has been a strategic adviser to a number of VC and PE funds, including Northwater Capital, Launch Capital, GEN3 Capital, Lakebridge Capital, and Elliott Group. He is a co-founder, Board member, and CEO of Powermers Inc, an energy storage development company, and is a Board member of Amastan Technology, a plasma technology company. Additionally, Dr. Kogan played an instrumental role in starting a number of companies, including Airgain Inc.
Dr. Kogan is a recognized thought leader in the areas of Systematic Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Development. He regularly speaks at innovation conferences around the world on topics such as the globalization of R&D, emerging markets and technologies, R&D and innovation management, sustainability, clean energy, and energy storage.
Before launching Gen5 Group, Dr. Kogan was CEO of GEN3 Partners and COO and co-founder of Pragmatic Vision International. Prior to Pragmatic Vision, he was the Director of Innovation Consulting Services at Invention Machine Corp. He also held senior positions and led research programs with the R&D organizations at ICI and Plastpolymer Corp.
Dr. Kogan is the author of more than 60 articles and 17 patents. He is also certified in TRIZ and is a Master Black Belt Six-Sigma specialist.
Education
Dr. Kogan has a Ph.D. in material science and an M.S. cum laude in applied physics.
Dr. Kogan remains an integral part of the education community by being a visiting professor at Harvard Business School, Stern Business School at NYU, and Fuqua Business School at Duke University.
Ilya Ilyin
Partner
Dr. Ilyin works with global clients to build a process and culture for innovation through R&D projects and long-term collaboration programs. His 25+ years of experience in technology consulting, research and technology and product development involved delivering practical solutions that have been adopted by global companies such as Chiquita, Alcoa, Rich Products, and others.
Dr. Ilyin worked as a trusted adviser, scientific leader and R&D partner managing long term programs for Fortune 500 companies, completed more than one hundred R&D and innovation projects, and gained significant experience in R&D strategic leadership and management of research teams in various areas, including medical devices and technology, food and beverage, and consumer products, all with a focus on delivering solutions that drive commercial success and business value.
Prior to Gen5 Group Dr. Ilyin was a Senior Principal with GEN3 Partners. Prior to GEN3, he was an Innovation Consultant, Head of Department and Project Manager at Pragmatic Vision International and Invention Machine Corporation.
Dr. Ilyin is also founder of General Biophysics, LLC, a biomedical company that develops therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and technologies for preservation of blood components and cell cultures.
Dr. Ilyin has presented at many international conferences and is the author of 24 patents, over 30 articles, and a textbook.
Education & Professional Certifications
Dr. Ilyin holds a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering. He also earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship. He is a Certified Level 4 TRIZ Practitioner.
Len Malinin
Partner
Dr. Malinin has managed dozens of innovation projects for Fortune 500 companies and international clientele for a broad range of matrixed organizations, including industrial (ABB, Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, Alcoa) and healthcare (Novartis, GSK, Boston Scientific, CR Bard). By guiding highly skilled, cross-functional teams in the design, development, and launch of leading-edge technology solutions and processes, he has helped clients to achieve repeated success in areas of cost reduction, new product launches, and identification of emerging opportunities.
Dr. Malinin also has experience with start-up and high-growth companies. For example, he led the development of a personal health monitoring technology from proof-of-principal prototype to production.
Dr. Malinin was previously a Senior Principal with GEN3 Partners. Prior to GEN3, his work led to the development of a new company in the medical technology field, as well as numerous funded products. Earlier in his career, he developed patented data processing algorithms, worked for an MIT consulting spin-off, and published a monograph on rotor vibration control.
Dr. Malinin is the author of more than nine patents and has written dozens of scientific and engineering articles.
Education
Dr. Malinin has a Ph.D. in Machine Dynamics and a M.S. in Mechanics and Control Processes.
Howard Soriano
Partner
Mr. Soriano brings over 20 years of experience in strategy and innovation, serving global clients across a variety of industries, including consumer goods, healthcare, industrial, and financial services. His client work has focused on understanding how value is created and linking technical innovation with economic value. He has spoken at conferences on mechanisms for uncovering new and unexploited sources of customer value.
Prior to Gen5 Group, Mr. Soriano was a Managing Director with GEN3 Partners. In addition, he previously served as a partner at a global management consulting firm where he worked closely with multinational companies to develop business unit and product strategies – in particular, improving competitive position and profitability through changes in technology, product design, and/or manufacturing process.
Mr. Soriano’s venture experience includes serving as Co-founder and President of Girdwood Partners, an independent media venture, where he led the company from start-up to profitability. He oversaw product development efforts for both education and consumer markets, securing distribution and licensing agreements across multiple product and digital platforms. The company’s international production received several national awards.
Education
Mr. Soriano earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry, cum laude, and his M.B.A. in Finance.
VENTURES
Gen5 Ventures, LLC is a majority owned subsidiary of Gen5 Group. The company is dedicated to identifying new technologies, product/service concepts, and business models for venture development and commercialization.