Commercialising university IP

01-02-2010

It’s a tough time to develop a university’s IP portfolio, but under the guidance of Jon Soderstrom, Yale’s Office of Cooperative Research maintains an impressive record and has ambitious plans. WIPR reports.

The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) defines technology transfer as “the process of transferring scientific findings from one organisation to another for the purpose of further development and commercialisation”.

Under the guidance of professionals employed by universities and research facilities, an innovation is usually protected under patents, and then licensed. The university or institution grants its rights to a third party through a licence agreement for a set period in exchange for payment.

Agreements range from patent applications and material transfer agreements to sponsored research and start-up companies, all sought in the hope of financial reward, recognition and/or to link students to future job opportunities.


Yale, IP, portfolio, technology, transfer, AUTM

WIPR