Has anyone out there had any experience with a company funding
research at a university taking out key man insurance on the PI? This
is a situation where a startup company has taken out a license and is
also sponsoring research (to the tune of $3MM per year) to get it to
the stage where the company can commercialize it.

The PI is Asian and his family has completely freaked out: maybe they are
afraid he will be killed if his research doesn't pan out.

At any rate, I'm looking for some actual cases and precedents for
this in universities and the rationales used.

Thanks in advance.

Ira J. Uslander
Northwestern University
Technology Transfer Program
1801 Maple Avenue
Evanston, Illinois 60201-3135
Tel:  847-467-2097
Fax:  847-491-3625
e-mail:  xxxxxx@nwu.edu