Technology+Transfer+Offices

Introduction
Technology commercialization/transfer offices are set up either at individual institutions conducting research or as national offices as part of the country’s national innovation system. Their purpose is to create wealth through commercialization. There is a great deal of international experience which can be transferred to countries planning to establish such offices. Unless they have some big winner license deals, most technology commercialization/transfer offices may only break even. What are the indirect benefits of such offices, and can they be measured? What skills should commercialization/transfer office staff have in developing and middle-income countries?

Issues to consider in setting up a Technology Transfer Office include:


 * 1) Establishing and staffing a technology commercialization /transfer office.
 * 2) Developing services to be provided by the commercialization /transfer office.
 * 3) Developing a budget.
 * 4) Working with scientists.
 * 5) Estimating costs of technology commercialization.
 * 6) Sources of funding for technology commercialization.
 * 7) Return on investment from technology commercialization.
 * 8) Direct returns, and indirect or longer-term social returns.
 * 9) Calculating the return on investment for technology commercialization.
 * 10) Coaching and training entrepreneurs in how to talk to investors.
 * 11) Assisting university and scientific institute managers to commercialize technology, protect intellectual property, negotiate joint ventures, and find strategic partners.
 * 12) Applying for domestic and foreign patents, paying patent application and annual patent maintenance fees, licensing the patented IP, enforcing ownership rights against alleged infringement, collecting royalties from license holders.
 * 13) Developing a commercialization strategy – licensing, joint venture, strategic partnerships. – for new technologies and inventions generated in universities, institutes, or <span class="wiki_link" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">centers of excellence <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">.
 * 14) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Connecting local technology business entrepreneurs and scientists with potential customers, strategic partners, joint venture partners and investors.
 * 15) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Establishing linkages between local research institutes and private companies and international research institutes operating in similar fields.
 * 16) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Designing, organizing, and administering grant programs for joint research projects with industry and international research institutions.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">These Modules are a guide only to the planned content of this Handbook Section. Please add new content to this page, or use the discussion Tab. As the wiki grows we will move things around.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How to Set Up a Technology Transfer System in a Developing Country
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Results of a recent study of the current state of technology transfer in Chile, including recommendations for the development of a new technology transfer system, from the IP Handbook of Best Practices ([]) Many developing countries have looked to Chile as a model. Included in the report are:


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The role of universities within the national R&D context
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">IP-protection activities in universities.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Communications between universities and the private sector. Procedures for evaluating potential technologies.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Policies regarding ownership of research results..
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Policies regarding conflicts of interest.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Distribution of income generated by technology transfers.
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Networks for collaboration.
 * 8) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The influence of technology transfer on university researchers’ careers.
 * 9) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Spinouts and startups.
 * 10) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The current state of university technology transfer in Chile
 * 11) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A Proposal for a National System of TTOs
 * 12) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A business model for the TTO system
 * 13) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Central and Local TTOs
 * 14) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Contracts between central and local TTOs
 * 15) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Function of the central and local TTOs
 * 16) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Human resources and infrastructure
 * 17) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Central TTO personnel
 * 18) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Local TTO personnel
 * 19) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Office support staff and infrastructure
 * 20) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Policies
 * 21) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ownership of IP rights.
 * 22) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Distribution of income.
 * 23) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Resolving conflicts of interest.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MIHR IP Handbook of Best Practices – Site Guide for Technology Transfer Managers
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Site Guide for Policy Makers <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.iphandbook.org/handbook/siteguides/policymakers/#key

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recommended Case Studies for Government Policy Makers <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.iphandbook.org/handbook/siteguides/policymakers/#casestudies

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a government policymaker, it is essential to have a realistic understanding of both the opportunities and the constraints that lie before you in proposing and implementing innovation policies. This Site Guide for Government Policymakers presents you with an executive overview of the general principles of IP as well as policy precedents from countries around the world. It only discusses specific mechanics of IP management when necessary to illustrate important policy implications. This Site Guide also recommends selections from among the 175 chapters and case studies of this Handbook that are most likely to be informative and helpful to you as a government policymaker.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Technology Transfer Managers <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@http://www.iphandbook.org/handbook/siteguides/techtransfermanagers/

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a manager of technology transfer operations or licensing executive, you need a familiarity not only with general principles of IP policy and strategy but also practical matters of running a comprehensive technology transfer program. This Site Guide for Technology Transfer Officers presents you with and executive overview of the general principles of IP and specific mechanics of IP management. It will then recommend to you selections from among the 153 chapters and over 50 case studies in the Handbook that are most likely to be informative and helpful to you as a technology transfer officer.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Site Guide for Scientists <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@http://www.iphandbook.org/handbook/siteguides/researchscientists/

As a research scientist or inventor, you need a familiarity not only with general principles of IP policy and strategy but also the practical matters of running a laboratory and collaborating with the licensee of your invention or of starting your own company to develop the technology. This Site Guide for Scientists presents you with a summary overview of what you need to know about IP and how you can benefit professionally by engaging others to help manage and commercialize the IP you create. This Site Guide also recommend to you selections from among the 175 chapters and case studies of this Handbook that are most likely to be informative and helpful to you as a scientist and inventor.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**The (US) Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Desk Reference** is a 210 page PDF file intended as an overview of practice for Federal Laboratory technology transfer professionals. []


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Section One, Technology Transfer Overview—Provides information on the background and legislative history of technology transfer and discusses the tools of technology transfer, including technology transfer organizations, programs, and mechanisms.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Section Two, The Role of the FLC in Technology Transfer—Examines the mission, goals, and objectives of the FLC; outlines the history of the Consortium; describes its organization and structure; and details the technology transfer activities and services provided by the FLC.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Section Three, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)—Examines the legislative authority, purpose, characteristics, and intellectual property issues relating to CRADAs, and provides links to agency/laboratory CRADA websites.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Section Four, Intellectual Property Issues—Focuses on the importance of intellectual property to technology transfer, protecting intellectual property, patenting and licensing an invention, and royalties.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Also included is an appendix that provides an overview of technology transfer legislation and related Executive Orders.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **The FLC Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) Handbook** is a 124 page comprehensive guide for ORTA personnel. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The ORTA Handbook provides a wealth of information on not only the legislative origins of the office but the most prominent issues regarding technology transfer.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overview of the ORTA’s functions
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What an ORTA does—the technology transfer process
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Technology transfer mechanisms (including model CRADAs for government-owned, government-operated [GOGO] and government-owned, contractor-operated [GOCO] laboratories)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Federal and nonfederal organizations supporting technology transfer
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Intellectual property rights
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Legal basis for ORTAs.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **FLC Technology Transfer Mechanisms**. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This listing provides technology transfer mechanisms most commonly used by a cross-section of federal agencies and their laboratories for specific purposes, including templates and samples of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), Education Partnership Agreements (EPAs), Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), Patent License Agreements, Software Agreements, and many others. (A Technology Transfer Mechanisms Reference Guide is also included.) In addition, this listing identifies the agency that uses that specific mechanism.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> More FLC educational resources are at T2 Education & Training. []

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 * Technology Transfer and the Commercialization Landscape of the [US] Federal Laboratories.**

Technology transfer and commercialization activities at the laboratories, perceived barriers to technology transfer, strategies for overcoming these barriers, and factors that affect the dissemination of technologies.

Interesting interview with Tony Hickson, Managing Director of Technology Transfer at Imperial Innovations published at Nature Materials. He talks about the challenges that scientist face in their efforts to transfer the new solutions from university research laboratories into practice. The main concern refers to the effectiveness of patent protection and whether it is a right choice for protecting the inventions and stimulating the inventor or not. Interesting remark is coming from the fact that the distribution of the licensing revenues in physical sciences follows Pareto distribution - 80% of the values are generated by 20% top assets. []