Every day universities and hospitals, government labs conduct research, generating groundbreaking, discoveries. These breakthroughs can improve the way we live, work and play.
Technology transfer professionals play a central role, connecting these discoveries with companies that can turn them into products to make the world a better place. Government and private organizations provide the critical funding that supports this research to help find the next new discovery.
The process called technology transfer works to protect and advance these discoveries through copyrights and patents. By creating partnerships and startups to turn research ideas into new products and stimulate the economy.
it sounds simple but there are many steps involved turning an idea into a product lots of challenges. Some ideas make it, some don't. Sometimes an idea is transferred to an existing company and sometimes discoveries inspire the creation of a brand new company.
These companies turn new ideas into products that can have a huge impact on proving lives, creating jobs and supporting the next generation of research discoveries. To learn more of the bottom of many ways that technology transfer is transforming ideas and what is the main function of a technology transfer office please read further.
what is the main function of a technology transfer office?
Research universities are home to cutting-edge innovations that can Provide tremendous public benefit. Bringing those innovations to market is a process often referred to as technology transfer or technology commercialization.
Achieving successful commercialization requires a cross-disciplinary skill set including legal business and scientific expertise at auburn university the office of Innovation advancement and commercialization. Also known as iec work with university researchers to commercialize innovation. They can provide public benefit.
what is the main function of a technology transfer office with respect to collaborative research?
So what happens when you engage iac and what's the process to bring a technology to market. first a researcher must conceive of an innovation and then proactively submit it to iac. To leave the most options open submission to iec should be done before the first publication or other public disclosure of the idea. Next, licensing officers review the innovation with the researchers to determine patentability marketability. the next steps feedback from the innovators is often helpful at this stage.
once the innovation has been assessed, patent applications and copyrights can be filed if formal intellectual property protection is needed. outside patent council is typically used for full patent applications but input and feedback from the innovators can be crucial.
if a commercial partner does not already exist, the licensing officers can prepare marketing materials that describe the innovation. active and internet-based marketing campaigns can be conducted to identify potential industrial partners. if a lead is generated the third party often engages with the innovator to learn more about the technology.
In the event that a commercial partner wants rights to use make or sell the innovation licensing officers negotiate a contract, which transfers the right to do so. Once the license is finalized commercialization efforts are then taken on by the commercial partner. iec coordinates with the licensee over time to help confirm that they are advancing the innovation towards the market and meeting their obligations under the license.
Some license agreements can go to startups brand new companies created for the primary purpose of commercializing a given innovation. University researchers can have a direct involvement with these startup companies provided that certain policy requirements are satisfied.
So why engage in the commercialization process? If the underlying research was federally funded or industry funded then submitting the innovation to the university is likely a legal requirement. Many innovations will never make it to market without the appropriate intellectual property and industry partner.
Making engagement in the commercialization process is critical to achieving public adoption and public benefit. This could lead to an improved university reputation and stronger industrial relationships, including potential collaborations and sponsored research.
Any royalties received are shared with the innovators and their associated colleges departments and labs per the university patent policy. Your innovations are important and can solve problems all around the world, iec has tools to help maximize your innovation's impact in society.
if you have a new innovation or any additional questions about the commercialization process please contact ice.