Tech Transfer Central

Online Resources

General Information

  • What is technology transfer?
    “Technology transfer (or tech transfer), in the context of research institutions, is the process by which new inventions and other innovations created in those institutions’ labs are turned into products and commercialized. This is typically done in two ways: through licensing patented intellectual property to corporations, and the creation of start-up companies, which also often license the IP created by faculty.”
  • What is Industry Engagement?
    “In the context of universities, industry engagement involves a variety of arenas and efforts to bring corporations and the world of academia together for mutual benefit. Engagement can be small – a single project or initiative – or can involve what is known as ‘strategic engagement,’ in which the university and a corporate partner work together on a continuum of projects and activities: student recruitment, sponsored research, curriculum development, clinical trials, philanthropy, workforce training, and more.”

Professional, Industry and Trade Associations

General Resources

  • A Guide to Copyrights, Trademarks and Patents in Print and Beyond
  • Bayh-Dole Act (37 CFR 401)
    Bayh-Dole Act (37 CFR 401) is an important piece of legislation in the field of intellectual property in the United States. The act allows a university, small business, or non-profit institution to pursue ownership of an invention before the government.
  • FreePatentsOnline
    This free patent search engine offers advanced search techniques and allows users to create accounts to organize, annotate and share documents.
  • Idea Trade Network
    A comprehensive list of patent and copyright offices from around the world.
  • Intellectual Property & Innovation Management Handbook
    “Prepared by and for policy-makers, leaders of public sector research establishments, technology transfer professionals, licensing executives, and scientists, this online resource offers up-to-date information and strategies.”
  • Japan Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry
  • KE Good Practice
    The website’s purpose is to provide a dynamic resource for all those involved in HE knowledge transfer and exchange to share and advance good practice, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and impact of HE Knowledge Transfer and Exchange activity.
  • National Paralegal College: Patents, Trademarks & Copyrights
    A good general overview of patent, trademark, and copyright history and concepts
  • NextTechs
    “We are a communication vehicle between external innovation and the corporate technology acquisition marketplace.”
  • Praxis
    Praxis is a U.K. training programme aimed at technology transfer professionals working in universities, research institutions and industry.
  • Wendy Kennedy
    A seasoned technology industry executive, award-winning professor, and author who developed her trademark So what? who cares? why you?™ methodology to help articulate the commercial opportunity that great technical ideas and product innovations represent.
  • yet2.com
    “Founded in 1999, yet2.com is focused on bringing buyers and sellers of technologies together so that all parties maximize the return on their investments.”

Government Sites

  • Asian and Pacific Centre For Transfer of Technology (APCTT)
    APCTT is a regional institution of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). It was established in 1977 with the objective of facilitating technology transfer in the Asia-Pacific region.
  • Canadian Intellectual Property Office
    “The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), a Special Operating Agency (SOA) associated with Industry Canada, is responsible for the administration and processing of the greater part of intellectual property in Canada.”
  • EDGAR – U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
    “EDGAR, the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system, performs automated collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by companies and others with the U.S. Securities an Exchange Commission”
  • EU European Commission on Innovation and Technology Transfer
    “CORDIS is free of charge and offers a wide range of information about EU research and innovation policies, EU funding programmes, initiatives, potential partners, and previous and on-going projects.”
  • European Patent Office
    The EPO provides uniform application procedures for individual inventors and companies seeking patent protection in 38 European countries. It is the executive arm of the European Patent Organisation and is supervised by the Administrative Council.
  • Federal Partners in Technology Transfer (FPTT)
    “FPTT is an established network of federal public servants committed to working together to enhance their professional capacity and to ensure the expeditious transfer of the value created in federal laboratories.”
  • Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (JIII)
    JIII was created to encourage invention, enhance original ideas, promote the practical use of them, and diffuse and develop the industrial property system, thus advancing science and technology and contributing to the development of economy in Japan.
  • Japan Patent Office (JPO)
    The main functions of the JPO include granting adequate rights for patents, drafting plans for IP policies, international exchange and cooperation, review of the IP system, and dissemination of information on IP.
  • National Research Council Canada (NRC)
    “NRC is composed of over 20 institutes and national programs, spanning a wide variety of disciplines and offering a broad array of services.”
  • PubMed, National Library of Medicine
    “PubMed is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes over 17 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to the 1950s.”
  • Thomas (Library of Congress)
    THOMAS was launched in January of 1995 to make U.S. legislative information freely available to the public.
  • U.S. Copyright Office
    “To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries”
  • U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
    “The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable.”
  • U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
    NIST is a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce created to promote innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve quality of life.
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
    The primary services the agency provides include processing patent and trademark applications and disseminating patent and trademark information.
  • United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
    “UNIDO mobilizes knowledge, skills, information and technology to promote productive employment, a competitive economy and a sound environment.”
  • World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
    WIPO is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest.

Industry News / Blogs

  • I/P Updates
    The “I/P Updates” news service is written and published by William F. (“Bill”) Heinze, an intellectual property attorney in Atlanta, Georgia USA. It provides the latest news and information for intellectual property practitioners.
  • IP Dragon
    “Gathering, commenting on and sharing information about intellectual property in China to make it more transparent, since 2005”
  • IPBiz
    Intellectual property news affecting business and everyday life
  • IPKat
    “Since June 2003 the IPKat weblog has covered copyright, patent, trade mark and privacy/confidentiality issues from a mainly UK and European perspective.”
  • Patent Baristas
    Patent Baristas is an intellectual property news and commentary site featuring freshly brewed chat on patent and IP issues in the biosciences.
  • Patently O
    Patent law blog written by Dennis Crouch, Associate Professor of Law at University of Missouri School of Law
  • Spicy IP
    “We aim to increase transparency in Indian intellectual property policy/institutions. We also stand for fair, objective and accurate reporting/review of intellectual property and innovation policy news from india.”
  • TechLink News
    Reporting news on the latest available technologies and license agreements
  • Wall Street Journal Intellectual Property Blog