Licensing Invention Patents: The Challenge of TTOs

Abstract

Universities, regions, and governments all over the world have become interested in university technology transfer because transferring the knowledge from basic research to industry is seen to be a key to developing an innovation economy. While to the outsider it may seem easy – “just find the gems and industry will grab them” – it is not that simple.

Corporations have their strategic plans, and current/future products to help them determine which inventions to invest in. University licensing offices have curiosity-driven inventions created by diverse university faculty, researchers, students and staff. While there are too many challenges to discuss them all in this paper, we picked several that may be of particular interest to LES members.

Keywords: universities, regions, governments, innovation economy, TTOs