Technology transfer activity at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ increased significantly in fiscal year 2004, reports Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ TechTransfer, the office that facilitates commercial development of innovations arising from Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ research.
Increases occurred in the numbers of inventions disclosed, patents applied for, and commercial agreements completed. In this fiscal year, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ innovators disclosed 233 inventions, a 17 percent increase over 2003. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ TechTransfer applied for 133 patents, up 8 percent. The number of licensing agreements, which are grants of rights to use Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ intellectual property, rose 22 percent —double the number reported in 2002.
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ TechTransfer’s Invention Licensing group executed 179 percent more confidentiality agreements, representing a surge in commercial interest in Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ technologies. In addition, seven new companies formed around Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ innovations.
James Severson, vice provost of intellectual property and technology transfer, attributes the progress to a renewed emphasis on the basics of effective tech transfer — good customer service, completion of licensing transactions, and local marketing of Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ technologies. “We feel that our continued focus on these fundamental principles will result in further improvements in performance to benefit not only the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ, but also the community and the state,â€� said Severson.
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ TechTransfer works closely with Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ investigators and research groups to protect intellectual property and transfer innovative technologies to industry for the ultimate benefit of the public. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ TechTransfer’s mission is to extend the impact of Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ research through partnerships that encourage investment in innovation.
More information is available in Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ TechTransfer’s annual report. To request a report, contact Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ TechTransfer at techtran@u.washington.edu or 206-543-3970. An electronic version will be available on Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ TechTransfer’s Web site () in early December.