Category Archives: Technology Transfer

NSF IPA Metrics 1974-78–Two tech transfer programs

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

Universities participating in the NSF’s IPA program operated two technology transfer programs. One program–the one endorsed by the IPA program–focused on patents and licensing. Of the 645 inventions reported by universities (and other nonprofits) made in work receiving NSF support … Continue reading →

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NSF IPA Metrics 1974-78

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

Beginning in 1974, the NSF ran an Institutional Patent Agreement (IPA) program until IPAs were shut down in 1978 as ineffective and counter to public policy. Bayh-Dole, one among a number of attempts, replaced the lost IPA programs in 1981. … Continue reading →

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Effective University Technology Transfer

Posted on October 27, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

“Technology transfer” is not so obvious an idea as it may seem. There’s technology transfer from developed nations to “developing” nations. There’s technology transfer from one industry to another. There’s technology transfer from applications in the military to civilian uses. … Continue reading →

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University Patent Policy for Effective Technology Transfer, 11: Two key provisions

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

A university patent policy designed to promote effective technology transfer will have these key provisions: Voluntary participation Default institutional non-exclusive FRAND offer These are key elements. FRAND is “fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory.” We will work through the reasons why these … Continue reading →

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University Patent Policy for Effective Technology Transfer, 10: Exclusivity compared

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

Now let’s look at a university that defaults to seeking an exclusive patent licensee instead. That comparison is even worse for leading with a patent license vs research review. There are way fewer folks out there in the technical world … Continue reading →

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University Patent Policy for Effective Technology Transfer, 9: Booking transfer income

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

We are considering scenarios that involve patentable inventions as a way to get at what a university patent policy should look like to support effective technology transfer. We compared two scenarios. In the first, a university offers a non-exclusive patent … Continue reading →

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University Patent Policy for Effective Technology Transfer, 8: Transfer parameters

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

We are comparing two technology transfer scenarios as a way to get at effective university technology transfer policy. Here are the scenarios again: Scenario 1: University offers a non-exclusive patent license for $5,000 with no post-license assistance other than delivery … Continue reading →

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University Patent Policy for Effective Technology Transfer, 7: Transfer pathways

Posted on October 4, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

We are working through what a university patent policy should look like to support effective technology transfer practices. The Eat and Fart model–claim ownership of everything and mostly fart away opportunities to transfer so long as one exclusive deal every … Continue reading →

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University Patent Policy for Effective Technology Transfer, 5: Transfer relationships and leading assets

Posted on September 30, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

We are working on university patent policies for effective technology transfer. I have described the Eat and Fart model that dominates university patent practice: eat everything, fart a lot, and drop a financial turd once every decade or two to … Continue reading →

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University Patent Policy for Effective Technology Transfer, 4: The Eat and Fart Model

Posted on September 26, 2020 by Gerald Barnett

No one in their right mind reads a book primarily because it has a copyright. “Gosh, all these books in the public domain–I need to find one with a solid, enforced copyright!” Similarly, technologists with stable brains do not seek … Continue reading →

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