The following is a list of the articles that appear in the December 2007 issue of Technology Transfer Tactics monthly newsletter.

Subscribe now and get access to this issue as well as access to our online archive of back issues, industry research reports, sample MTAs, legal opinions, sample forms and contracts, government documents and more!

Technology Transfer Tactics,
Vol. 1, No. 8 (pp 113-128) December 2007

• Tech transfer managers develop tactics to improve MTA process. Most tech transfer professionals who oversee the day-to-day negotiation, processing, cataloging, storage, and retrieval of material transfer agreements (MTAs) would like nothing better than to see universal implementation of the global, web-based eMTA Commons system that’s currently under development by an AUTM working group ………. p. 113
• Research institutes pool their inventions to create more value. As standalone offerings, many inventions just aren’t worth as much as you might hope. But the concept of IP bundling is catching on as a way to enhance that value by creating a package of related inventions. And if you can’t create attractive enough bundles within your own institution, partnering with other organizations may provide the answer ………. p. 113
• “IP landscape analysis” helps researchers focus on market opportunities. The tech transfer office at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is taking an innovative approach to educating its researchers about commercialization opportunities for their work. Instead of waiting for researchers to complete their studies and submit invention disclosures to explore the potential for commercialization, the TTO is stepping in much earlier in the process ………. p. 114
• Licensing your ‘know-how’ holds revenue potential, but seller beware. Licensing “know-how” held by researchers — either in combination with a patent or instead of one — can represent an often overlooked revenue stream for universities, technology transfer officials say. But accomplishing this is tricky, involving careful attention to confidentiality, pricing, and even faculty relations ………. p. 115
• Heard in the Halls: Like it or not, conference reveals realities of VC funding ………. p. 117
• How long is too long? University calculates MTA turnaround time benchmarks. The University of Washington has accumulated a vast array of statistics on its MTA process ………. p. 119
• Protect your patent rights by ensuring timely compliance with federal disclosure requirements. Tech transfer professionals who gain a good understanding of the facts involved in Campbell Plastics Engineering v. Brownlee can enact procedures to help their university avoid the loss of patent rights due to lack of timely disclosure ………. p. 122
• Use this checklist for federally sponsored research compliance. Here’s a quick rundown of compliance tasks you must adhere to when inventions arise out of federally sponsored research ………. p. 124
• New web site boosts exposure for U of Delaware’s technology. University TTOs looking to improve their web sites and use the web to generate more interest in technology licensing opportunities may want to visit the revamped TTO web site at the University of Delaware ………. p. 126