Government and University TechTransfer

The survey ranks U.S. universities and institutions on commercialization success, and in recent years, the U of Utah has climbed to the top, overtaking such schools as MIT, Columbia, Cal Tech and Johns Hopkins.

Through the federally funded Innovation Corps, about two dozen teams from around the country have been training as entrepreneurs and studying how to turn their research into a business.

University inventors don’t have a reputation for pitching to industry

"This is a great example of what can happen when we unleash the American innovation machine and allow entrepreneurs to turn a great idea into a business opportunity," said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "By making it easier, faster and cheaper for start-ups to license groundbreaking technologies we can move innovative ideas to the marketplace – creating jobs and growing our economy."

"From how professors participate in the process to how universities administer the process to the very process itself, all needs to be addressed over the next several years if we are going to be more successful in transitioning technologies from labs to the market."

Through a deal with an alumnus, the university is planning to take an equity stake in a company created by two M.B.A. students that offers services that might help the university’s fund-raisers. Proponents of the move, particularly the dean of the business school and the investor, hope the arrangement will motivate the university to see the company to success.

The critical function of bringing important new technologies from collegiate laboratories to the commercial marketplace is heading for life support.

I was eager to review Kauffman’s critique of technology transfer offices. As a result, I focused most of my attention on the section, "Universities and Economic Growth."

While the term "technology transfer" doesn’t exactly evoke images of celebrations and merriment, it’s nonetheless an exciting time for a field that, in Oregon, is growing.

Imagine being able to tell if someone is lying based on their eye movement, or how about being able to rid children of head lice without using any chemicals, or using a small device to pinpoint electrical shorts in vehicles.