Technology Licensing for the Benefit of the Developing World

Abstract

In the years since the passage of the Bayh–Dole Act of 1980, university technology transfer success has been measured primarily by traditional metrics such as numbers of patents filed, revenue obtained from licensed patents and numbers of start-up companies founded to commercialize university intellectual property. Intellectual property (IP) managers have often responded to these metrics and expectations by attempting to maximize revenue from commercial IP licences. In recent years the University of California at Berkeley has acknowledged that, while licence revenue generation and local economic development are important goals, it is equally important to maximize the social impact of research. It has therefore adopted several IP management strategies, including a Socially Responsible Licensing Program (SRLP). Several types of agreements have been executed under the SRLP, including IP licences, sponsored research agreements and collaborative research agreements. All are structured to provide an economic incentive to licensees to develop and distribute goods and services to low-income and middle-income countries and/or other target groups as they are defined in each contract.