Technology transfer professionals transform lives through discovery. Working for universities, research centers, federal labs and private companies worldwide to release dual use technologies is their field of expertise.
Not every invention will result in a profitable commercial product, and tech transfer officers must understand the diverse expectations of academic researchers and industry representatives when assessing new discoveries.
Licensing
Technology transfer refers to the transfer of product and manufacturing knowledge between sites. This may involve setting production standards and control strategies, manufacturing processes and analytical methods, or an entire drug development program. A key aspect of successful tech transfer lies in maintaining open lines of communication – without it, the process may become frustrating or delayed as parties search for an agreement or essential details that help complete important steps.
Universities typically negotiate technology transfer deals through an OTL or similar administrative office. These offices collect invention disclosures from professors and assess whether patent protection should be sought before pursuing intellectual property rights with interested private parties.
Attorneys negotiating these agreements must keep in mind that institutions tend to prioritize financial gains from their projects and may insist upon terms that would not be acceptable in the private sector, such as pre-approving any changes in control or license assignments – an expectation which may slow or even stop negotiations altogether.
Strategic Planning
Technology transfer refers to the sharing of scientific and technological advancements among researchers, companies, and organizations. It is an indispensable method for bringing cutting-edge products to market while creating jobs and propelling regional, national, and global economies forward.
Strategic planning services are an integral component of technology transfer and can involve business development plans, intellectual property protection strategies, patent application preparation support and research collaboration services. Strategic planning may also involve creating a comprehensive project plan with associated cost estimates and schedules.
Technology transfer enables universities to generate revenues that can be put toward faculty recruitment and research efforts, while companies can tap into advances from academic laboratories without investing in internal R&D efforts. Technology transfer efforts have brought numerous benefits to society including new medicines and lifesaving treatments; improved medical procedures; cleaner air and water; as well as other innovations which are constantly changing our world.
Commercialization
Many inventions developed at federal laboratories or universities aren’t ready for market yet, which makes technology transfer an effective means for commercializing them by companies which can further develop, scale up and implement these innovations into marketable products or services.
Economic development and job creation depend heavily on this process, as it connects research to real world products that solve real world issues while creating revenue for further study.
Coordination among multiple parties and maintaining open lines of communication throughout a technology transfer project are paramount. If, for example, one company outsources manufacturing of their product for quality assurance and testing to another firm for testing purposes, all parties involved need to have the same understanding and language so as to maintain transparency – an often daunting challenge due to numerous companies involved. MEDVACON Consulting Services specialize in this area by writing and reviewing test protocols as part of technology transfer projects.
Marketing
Technology transfer enables research institutions to put their knowledge and skills developed for commercial purposes into action, by offering technologies developed on campus for use elsewhere, such as by businesses or universities. Technology can also be transferred from one site to the other – for instance when pharmaceutical companies contract out product testing to contract manufacturers.
An important step toward successful technology transfer lies in building effective teams at both ends, both donors and receivers. Each should include cross-functional subject matter experts with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Teams should collaborate closely together to ensure the technology transfer process runs on schedule without significant obstacles or problems.
When your operations require expert technology transfer consulting services, MEDVACON can offer a turnkey solution. We have amassed an army of 1,000+ technology transfer consultants to assist your operation in tasks which may be better met and more cost-efficiently addressed by external consulting arrangements.