Intellectual property due diligence and freedom to operate (FTO) analyses can be critical to assessing potential licensing transactions and can be equally important for start-up investors. These analyses are also key factors in developing patent prosecution strategies for new disclosures. However, due diligence and FTO analyses can often be sheathed in a cloud of mystery because of the broad scope of issues involved and the inherent variability in the information they uncover. In addition, the potential for spiraling costs from poorly devised or conducted inquiries can further confound the process.

Critical Issues in Due Diligence and Freedom to Operate Analysis for University IP, scheduled for tomorrow, September 22nd, is a practical and detailed webinar featuring patent attorney Jonathan B. Roses of Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks. He will demystify due diligence and FTO inquiries by explaining not only what they explore, but also how they are best conducted. 

Attendees can expect to gain an understanding of why and when these activities are required, what information they can yield, and how to distinguish issues that are critical to the analyses from those that are simply “nice to have” or even unnecessary for a given project. For complete details or to register, click here.

Also coming soon:

• Best Practices in Negotiating, Drafting, and Managing Sublicenses | Tuesday, September 28, 2021
• From Strategic Plan to Execution: Charting a Course for Your Start-Up’s Exit Event | Wednesday, October 6, 2021
• Accessing Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Funding for SBIR/STTR Companies | Tuesday, October 19, 2021

When submitting an SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II application, you could be leaving a significant amount of money on the table.

TABA is a new program that gives SBIR/STTR companies funding over and above the SBIR/STTR grant to use for commercialization assistance services. The application process can be complex, and the program is still a mystery to many TTOs and research offices, but this workshop will reveal the details and offer practical insights into the TABA funds now available to SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II applicants.

We’ll cover the primary purpose of TABA funds, what funds can and cannot be used for, how to engage with a TABA vendor, and how to ensure your application includes this little-known additional funding stream. Join Kristen Parmelee, President of the Parmelee Consulting Group, Inc. for this detailed distance learning program: Accessing Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Funding for SBIR/STTR Companies, scheduled for October 19th.

This program that will outline how different federal agencies participating in the SBIR/STTR program want you to request the funds, how much is available for applicants, what supporting documentation is required, selection of providers of TABA services, and how to ensure your SBIR/STTR companies don’t miss out on this extra non-dilutive cash. For complete details or to register, click here.

Also coming soon:

• Data Licensing, Protection and Policy for Universities | Thursday, September 16, 2021
• Critical Issues in Due Diligence and Freedom to Operate Analysis for University IP | Wednesday, September 22, 2021
• Best Practices in Negotiating, Drafting, and Managing Sublicenses | Tuesday, September 28, 2021
• From Strategic Plan to Execution: Charting a Course for Your Start-Up’s Exit Event | Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Managing conflicts of interest (COIs) between funding sources and faculty researchers is always a tough challenge for tech transfer, sponsored research, and compliance offices that requires much coordination and careful handling. Although tech transfer and research managers recognize that conflicts are a given during the process of transferring IP either through a license agreement, spinout, or partnership, managing and mitigating those COIs is a seemingly never ending battle — and it’s fraught with danger not only for the university, but also for its faculty.

That’s why we’re created the three-session distance learning collection Managing Conflicts of Interest in the Commercialization of University Research, to provide a solid set of guidelines and proven strategies to ensure COI issues related to commercialization activity are addressed effectively. These three programs are included in the collection:

• Blurred Lines and Gray Areas: Managing Conflicts of Interest in University Tech Transfer and Sponsored Research
• Ensuring Compliance with Financial Conflict of Interest Regs
• Best Practices for Managing Conflicts of Interest in Faculty Start Ups

For complete program and faculty details, or to order, click here.

Data is one of the hottest topics in university licensing — particularly with AI-related innovations and other research projects that rely on huge data sets. As more and more institutions monetize their data, the importance of a well-considered institutional data policy has become critical.

You must navigate a myriad of laws relating to consent and privacy, as well as issues related to the IP involved, rights of the licensee, and how royalties are distributed. And while virtually all institutions have patent policies in place covering ownership and handling of patentable inventions, data policies are still evolving and sometimes completely absent.

Based on a high level of continuing interest and the high marks received from attendees of the original live programs, we’re hosting an encore presentation of two detailed distance learning sessions covering the critical policy and operational issues related to protecting, licensing, and developing policy related to data assets. You’ll get the entirety of these two information-packed sessions, including all Powerpoints, both in a repeat airing and in the on-demand video and transcript you’ll receive upon registration. It’s an outstanding opportunity to share the program with your entire staff for at-home learning.

This two-and-a-half hour event will give you the expertise and strategies you need to develop or strengthen your data licensing policy, protect your data assets, and plan for how to best monetize them. For compete program and faculty details or to register, click here.

Also coming soon:

• Critical Issues in Due Diligence and Freedom to Operate Analysis for University IP | Wednesday, September 22, 2021
• Best Practices in Negotiating, Drafting, and Managing Sublicenses | Tuesday, September 28, 2021
• From Strategic Plan to Execution: Charting a Course for Your Start-Up’s Exit Event | Wednesday, October 6, 2021
• Accessing Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Funding for SBIR/STTR Companies | Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Dozens of major research institutions are under federal investigation for failure to disclose foreign research ties, and nearly 100 universities have now been asked to investigate specific threats. Several labs have seen researchers arrested or fired over failure to disclose foreign relationships and funding, and the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal agencies continue to focus on potential security risks associated with foreign talent recruitment programs. 

It’s a problem that isn’t going away. That’s why we’ve created this distance learning collection dedicated to improving your assessment strategies and compliance with reporting requirements. Risk Assessment and Reporting Requirements for Foreign Research Relationships features two recorded programs in our digital package format — on-demand video and transcript — so you can view and share them with your entire staff on or off campus at your convenience. The two programs are:

• Navigating Foreign Relationships and Reporting Requirements in University Research, presented by: David Ivey, UT-Austin’s Export Control Officer and Export Compliance Counsel, who provides a solid plan of action for both policy and real-world compliance practice.
• Mitigating Risks Associated with Foreign Research Collaborators, presented by: Wendy Epley, Principal, Wendy Epley Consulting. You’ll learn how to comply with the added security measures being required by federal agencies, identify red flags, and spot subtle clues of inappropriate foreign influence so your university can protect its research and its reputation.

For complete details on this important resource, click here.

When working with collaborators, potential licensees, investors, and others outside the university, poorly drafted NDAs can put your valuable IP in grave danger. To protect patent rights from public disclosures that threaten patentability, it’s imperative that tech transfer and industry engagement professionals understand the implications of a poorly drafted and executed NDA – and make sure these documents anticipate every twist and turn along the way.

That’s why Tech Transfer Central has scheduled this detailed and practical webinar: Non-Disclosure Agreements in University Research and Commercialization: Drafting Strategies for Maximum IP Protection. Join us this Thursday, August 26th, when patent attorney Satya S. Narayan with GCA Law Partners discuss the key legal issues around compliance and enforcement, along with best practices for drafting NDAs that effectively protect your IP in a range of scenarios.

For complete program and faculty details or to register, click here.

Also coming soon:

• Data Licensing, Protection and Policy for Universities | Thursday, September 16, 2021
• Critical Issues in Due Diligence and Freedom to Operate Analysis for University IP | Wednesday, September 22, 2021
• Best Practices in Negotiating, Drafting, and Managing Sublicenses | Tuesday, September 28, 2021
• Accessing Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Funding for SBIR/STTR Companies | Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Landing an industry research partnership is no easy task and can take years to complete, but in many cases the “last mile” — when contracts are negotiated and drafted — is the toughest. It’s also the point at which the long-term value you hope to create with your corporate partner can either be cemented or put in jeopardy. The terms you agree on can set the stage for an incredibly productive and long-lasting relationship, but without proper alignment and careful drafting they can also set the deal up for confusion, conflict and failure.

That’s why we’ve created Drafting and Negotiating Industry-Sponsored Research Agreements, a four-program distance learning collection that’s filled with best practices, expert guidance, and key strategies that will ensure your industry partnership agreements are built to last.

These programs cover some of the most critical and trickiest issues you’ll face, including master research agreements, IP rights, preferential rights, and conflicts of interest – four outstanding

sessions that you can share with staff and keep for future education and training. Here’s what’s included:

• Session 1: Drafting and Negotiating Master Research Agreements
• Session 2: Drafting and Negotiating IP Rights in Sponsored Research Agreements
• Session 3: Drafting and Negotiating Preferential Rights in University IP Licenses and Sponsored Research Agreements
• Session 4: Preserving Sponsored Research Integrity: Fortifying Contractual Language and University Policy to Prevent Bias and COI

For complete program and faculty details or to order, click here.

When submitting an SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II application, don’t leave money on the table…. TABA is a new program that gives SBIR/STTR companies funding over and above the SBIR/STTR grant to use for commercialization assistance services. The application process can be complex, and the program is still a mystery to many TTOs and research offices, but this workshop will reveal the details and offer practical insights into the TABA funds now available to SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II applicants.

We’ll cover the primary purpose of TABA funds, what funds can and cannot be used for, how to engage with a TABA vendor, and how to ensure your application includes this little-known additional funding stream. Join Kristen Parmelee, President of the Parmelee Consulting Group, Inc. for this detailed distance learning program: Accessing Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Funding for SBIR/STTR Companies, scheduled for October 19th.
This program that will outline how different federal agencies participating in the SBIR/STTR program want you to request the funds, how much is available for applicants, what supporting documentation is required, selection of providers of TABA services, and how to ensure your SBIR/STTR companies don’t miss out on this extra non-dilutive cash. For complete details or to register, click here.

Also coming soon:

• Non-Disclosure Agreements in University Research and Commercialization: Drafting Strategies for Maximum IP Protection| Thursday, August 26, 2021
• Critical Issues in Due Diligence and Freedom to Operate Analysis for University IP| Wednesday, September 22, 2021
• Best Practices in Negotiating, Drafting, and Managing Sublicenses| Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Everyone in the commercialization pipeline must have a fundamental knowledge of how to identify intellectual property, how to help ensure its protection, and what their role is in that process. As every TTO can attest, just one conversation, one publication, or one forgotten contribution can put your IP in jeopardy.

This introductory, one-hour distance learning program focuses on the different categories of IP and the creator’s role in protecting each of them. This expert consult with a leading attorney is specifically designed for faculty, students, and others who need a good working understanding of the IP landscape – and their role in it.  

Attorney Tyson Benson, with Vivaqua Crane IP Law, leads this concise but comprehensive primer covering each type of intellectual property — how it’s protected, and how that protection can be lost or endangered. Mr. Benson offers clear guidance for IP creators on how they can work with your TTO and be an effective part of the IP creation and protection team.

Keep this program in your training “library” and use it throughout your organization whenever the need arises. Give faculty, staff, and student innovators the baseline knowledge they need to engage with the university commercialization enterprise. Click here for more details.

When working with collaborators, potential licensees, investors, and others outside the university, poorly drafted NDAs can put your valuable IP in grave danger. 

To protect patent rights from public disclosures that threaten patentability, it’s imperative that tech transfer and industry engagement professionals understand the implications of a poorly drafted and executed NDA – and make sure these documents anticipate every twist and turn along the way.

That’s why Tech Transfer Central has scheduled this detailed and practical webinar: Non-Disclosure Agreements in University Research and Commercialization: Drafting Strategies for Maximum IP Protection. Join us on August 26th when patent attorney Satya S. Narayan with GCA Law Partners discuss the key legal issues around compliance and enforcement, along with best practices for drafting NDAs that effectively protect your IP in a range of scenarios.

For complete program and faculty details or to register, click here.

Also coming soon:

• Critical Issues in Due Diligence and Freedom to Operate Analysis for University IP| Wednesday, September 22, 2021
• Best Practices in Negotiating, Drafting, and Managing Sublicenses| Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Creating a talent pipeline takes time and careful planning, but when done right you are left with a well-stocked talent pool that feeds the needs of your local and regional communities and can solidify long-term relationships with your corporate partners.

That’s exactly what the Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) Commercialization Academy is designed to accomplish. It’s a highly competitive program that provides Johns Hopkins full-time students with exposure to the fields of commercialization and entrepreneurship through a two-year paid fellowship.

The Commercialization Academy plugs top students from across JHU into JHTV’s teams, processes, and current tech transfer projects, giving them opportunities to inform their career choices as they learn, while providing tech transfer staff with much-needed extra hands. The goal is to build a highly skilled, experienced talent pipeline while creating growth opportunities for students and energetic brainpower for their IP projects as well as their future employers.

The results and feedback have been outstanding, and that’s why we’ve partnered with JHTV on this case study webinar: Strategies for Cultivating an Enterprising Talent Pipeline: An Inside Look at the JHTV Commercialization Academy, scheduled for this Thursday, August 5th.

For complete details, click here.

Also coming soon:

• Non-Disclosure Agreements in University Research and Commercialization: Drafting Strategies for Maximum IP Protection | Thursday, August 26, 2021

When it comes to matters of regulatory compliance in research, there is no room for error. Fortunately, strong education and airtight monitoring systems can prevent the damaging consequences of non-compliance that can result in a black mark on your university’s reputation – as well as its future research funding.

That’s why we’ve created the Best Practices in University Research and Tech Transfer Compliance distance learning collection. The collection consists of three distance learning programs, complete with all original program materials, filled with expert compliance guidance related to the Bayh-Dole Act, reporting guidelines for iEdison, and SBIR/STTR funding regulations.

You’ll receive the recorded programs in on-demand video and transcript — so you can listen and share them with staff at your convenience in whatever format you choose. It’s a great addition to your training library you can use over and over again.

The three programs included are:

• Bayh-Dole Compliance Check-up: Effectively Address the Challenge of Complacency
• Maintaining Compliance with iEdison: A Practical Guide for Universities
• Avoid SBIR/STTR Fraud and Abuse Allegations in University Research

For complete details, click here.