Already hailed as among the most active and successful “small” TTOs, the University of Akron (OH) Research Foundation continues to produce big deals and results. It signed a collaboration deal with Lorain County Community College to assist with tech transfer activity, following similar deals with Cleveland State and Youngstown State. Under the arrangements, the foundation evaluates commercialization opportunities, negotiates and administers contracts, identifies potential licensees and research partners, and supports start-up activity at the partner institutions. Officials at all four schools say that future agreements could lead to the formation of a regional research foundation. In 2007, UARF won the University Economic Development Association’s National Award of Excellence in Technology Commercialization and was named an “exemplary” technology transfer institution in a study conducted for the National Science Foundation.

In another piece of good news for UARF, one of its licensees, MemPro Ceramics Corp., headquartered in Copper Mountain, CO, received a $500,000 NSF grant to further advance its new class of catalytic filters, which are based on pollution-control technology developed at the university. The company and UA researchers will use the funds to refine and continue development of ceramic nanofibers containing catalyst particles, which convert dangerous oxides of nitrogen, emitted from engines exhaust, into safe oxygen and nitrogen. MemPro became the university’s exclusive licensee of the technology in February. “The technology enables small amounts of catalysts to clean exhaust streams and could lead to low-cost catalytic converters,” explains John Finley, MemPro president and CEO. Go to: Crain’s Cleveland Business, The University of Akron and MemPro

Editor’s note: Wayne H. Watkins, UARF’s Associate Vice President for Research, was one of the featured speakers for the July audioconference “Strategies for small tech transfer offices: Doing more with less.” The session is available on digitally recorded CD or online audiostream. For complete information, CLICK HERE.

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