Technology Transfer Offices Research Articles

“Meet me at the backdoor”: A multiple case study of academic entrepreneurs bypassing their technology transfer offices

This article investigates the underexplored phenomenon of technology transfer office (TTO) bypassing in academic entrepreneurship. While TTOs are established to centralize and support intellectual property-based commercialization, a significant portion of entrepreneurial projects avoid the TTO. Relying on both economic (transaction cost theory) and ethical (Tyler's justice model) considerations, this study explores the motivations and contextual factors behind a researcher's decision to commercialize an invention using means other than the TTO. This multiple case study employs an in-depth exploratory qualitative approach to investigate five academic entrepreneurs across different disciplines in Canadian universities who chose to bypass their TTO, often in contravention of institutional policies. Our findings reveal a complex interplay among individual motivations, institutional policies, and market realities. We identified four paths of awareness and strategic intent in this process ranging from unintentional non-compliance to tactical avoidance which challenge a simplistic perception of TTO bypassing as merely unintentional rather than deliberate. The study also reveals four overlapping contexts that promote TTO bypassing: confidence in personal expertise, previous negative experience of using the TTO, peer-influenced skepticism, and external partner challenges. Furthermore, the findings show that the reasons for bypassing include both economic and ethical motivations which steer academic entrepreneurs toward alternative, privately managed commercialization paths. The article concludes with some implications for university managers and policymakers related to how to address the multifaceted motivations for TTO bypassing.

As a Public Diplomacy Component Technology Management Policy and Technology Transfer Offices of Turkey

This paper explores the role of Turkey's National Technology Management Policy and Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) as components of public diplomacy. The National Technology Management Policy plays a significant role in shaping Turkey's international image, influence, and soft power. The centralized approach to policy formulation and implementation underscores the strategic alignment of technology management policies with the country's objectives, including those related to public diplomacy. Additionally, TTOs play a crucial role in facilitating the transfer of technologies and knowledge between universities, research institutions, and industry, contributing to Turkey's technological advancement and competitiveness. The paper evaluates the impact of these components on Turkey's public diplomacy efforts and their potential to enhance the country's international standing and influence.

The drivers and barriers influencing the commercialization of innovations at research and innovation institutions in Uganda: a systemic, infrastructural, and financial approach

Research and innovation (R&I) institutions must commercialize their innovations to remain competitive in a knowledge-based economy. While R&I institutions in Uganda have the potential to drive socioeconomic development, a clear understanding of the commercialization pathway is lacking. This study aims to bridge this gap by analyzing the systemic, infrastructural, and financial factors that drive and hinder the commercialization of innovations at R&I institutions in Uganda. This study offers the first comprehensive examination of the systemic, infrastructural, and financial dimensions influencing innovation commercialization within Uganda's R&I ecosystem, presenting new empirical evidence on the prioritized barriers and drivers as perceived by key stakeholders. Employing a mixed-method approach, this study uniquely combines quantitative surveys with qualitative case studies and key informant interviews, enabling a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted drivers of and barriers to innovation commercialization in Uganda. The study employed the Delphi technique to identify consensus among key informants. The findings highlight the urgent barriers to address, including fragmented R&I ecosystems, inadequate support infrastructure, such as technology transfer offices, and significant gaps in innovation financing. These issues underscore the urgent need for targeted policy interventions. Based on our findings, we recommend the establishment of a national innovation fund, enhancement of public private partnerships for R&D infrastructure development, and formulation of a cohesive national policy framework to streamline commercialization processes at R&I institutions. This study provides policymakers with a data-driven foundation to craft targeted interventions aimed at removing the identified barriers, thereby catalyzing the commercialization of innovations in Uganda's R&I institutions.

Identifikasi Tren Penelitian Efisiensi Technology Transfer Office dengan Pendekatan Bibliometrika pada Database Jurnal Scopus

This study aims to identify the bibliometric characteristics of research related to factors affecting the efficiency of the Technology Transfer Office in the Scopus journal database since the beginning of the topic. The method used in this study is descriptive quantitative. This study identifies research trends, the most influential authors, documents with the most citations, the most occurring words, and other bibliometric information. The sample used was 444 publications in the form of articles and conference papers indexed by Scopus. The analysis tools used were R software version 4.3.2 and bibliometrix package version 4.1. The findings show that research interest in technology transfer efficiency continues to increase to date. Research directions show a continued focus on entrepreneurship and technological change, with additional emphasis on the role of public policy in supporting TTOs. This research contributes some information and insights into the extent to which the topic of office technology transfer efficiency is covered in articles and conference papers found in the Scopus journal database.

Patent output and patent transfer network in China universities: Moderating roles of absorptive capacity and desorptive capacity

Although absorptive capacity and desorptive capacity has been widely present in university-industry relationships, there has been no research on their potential impact on the relationship between university patent output and university patent transfer network. We constructed datasets of patent applications and patent transfers to firms from 383 universities between 2002 and 2021 in China, and empirically demonstrated the effect of the patent output on university patent transfer network using negative binomial regression models. We also examined the moderating effects of absorptive capacity and desorptive capacity. The results reveal that university patent output positively affects the size and the connection strength of the university patent transfer network. Technology transfer offices and satellite institutions, for desorptive capacity in universities, negatively moderate the relationship between the university patent output and the university patent transfer network, respectively. For absorptive capacity in firms, research and development intensity of new products and the level of research and development personnel input, respectively, have a positively moderate effect on the relationship between the university patent output and the university patent transfer network. Our research provides insights into the dynamics of the university patent transfer network; especially against the backdrop of a sharp increase in university patent output and insufficient development of the university patent transfer network, this study provides evidence to the substitution effect of desorptive capacity in universities and the bidirectional effect of absorptive capacity in firms.

The evolving role of technology transfer offices in the entrepreneurial university: Go-betweens or playmakers?

AbstractTechnology transfer offices (TTOs) play an increasingly important role in universities, supporting researchers in translating science knowledge into commercially and socially valuable outcomes. However, the literature is limited regarding how TTOs support the technology transfer process. This study contributes deeper insight into the role of TTOs in facilitating knowledge transfer outcomes. A case study of life science commercialization in Australasian universities drew on depth interviews with senior TTO managers and industry experts, on longitudinal participant observation within a life science intermediary business to inform about supply side elements, and on secondary data. The findings emphasise the effects of wider institutional change on quintuple helix (5H) stakeholders, i.e., the environment, society, government, universities, and industry. Financialization and competition places growing demands on universities for commercializable intellectual property (IP) production. In response, TTOs have built competencies in translational engagement (trust and reputation building and boundary spanning) and value co-creation (service quality management and de-risking). Those competencies translate to a five-stage process of technology transfer facilitation: (1) Identifying, (2) assessing, (3) protecting, (4) promoting and (5) profiting. In the complex context of life science innovation, innovation networks benefit from investment in university outreach, stakeholder relationship building, tax credits, and fund matching with transnational corporations. To ensure optimal social and commercial outcomes independent oversight of the process should be maintained, by representatives from all 5H stakeholders.

Managing institutional conflicts: Stakeholder accounts of communication between conflict of interest and technology transfer offices.

There have been repeated calls for academic institutions to develop policies and procedures to manage institutional conflicts of interest (ICOI) arising from technology transfer activities. While prior research has examined adoption of ICOI policies by medical schools and universities, little is known about how these institutions handle ICOI in practice, hindering the development of evidence-based recommendations to improve ICOI management. To address this gap, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 25 senior administrators responsible for research integrity and conflict of interest issues at academic institutions. Data were analyzed using a descriptive qualitative content analysis approach, combining flexible coding to index the interview data with close examination, interpretation, and synthesis of coded content. Participants identified communication and information sharing between conflict of interest (COI) and technology transfer (TT) offices as a critical factor in the effective management of ICOI and suggested several strategies to strengthen coordination between these offices. These findings suggest that academic research institutions could strengthen COI programs by taking measures to improve communication and information sharing between COI and TT offices.

University technology transfer offices' capabilities in responding to societal challenges: lessons from an exploratory study during the COVID-19 pandemic

University technology transfer offices' capabilities in responding to societal challenges: lessons from an exploratory study during the COVID-19 pandemic

The association between governance mechanisms and engagement in commercialisation and entrepreneurship of Romanian public research institutes

This study investigates the connection between the governance structure of a public research institute (PRI) and its inclination towards entrepreneurship and patenting, in the form of spin-offs and granted patents, in Romania, an emerging economy. Employing a combination of negative binomial and Firth logistic regressions, the research examines the links between the composition of the board of directors (BD) and PRI's knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) and entrepreneurial efforts over a period of eleven years (2012–2022). The results show that gender diversity in the BD does not impact the establishment of new firms and patenting. Moreover, the likelihood of spin-off creation in female-led PRIs is lower than in male-led ones, while the general director's gender has minimal impact on the patenting process. On the other hand, BD diversity in terms of external directors, namely the industry representatives, strongly influences the entrepreneurial orientation of the PRI. The same connection is shown with the existence of technology transfer offices. Scientific excellence is slightly complementary with patenting. Finally, geographic location has a weak mixed effect on the creation of spin-offs and patenting. Our paper contributes to the industrial organisational literature, which has not paid enough attention to the role of research institutes in science commercialisation, especially in emerging economies.

Practical model of technology commercialisation at an Indonesian University: A case study from Institut Teknologi Bandung

The technology commercialisation process at universities in developing countries often requires improvement owing to their tendency to adopt models commonly used in developed countries. Besides being less contextual, the existing technology commercialisation models is also not practical because it does not accommodate the interests of each stakeholder directly involved in the commercialisation process, such as laboratories, industry and intermediaries. This research proposes a more practical model of technology commercialisation for universities in the Indonesian context by emphasising the interests of such stakeholders, based on four commercialisation strategies, and four university intermediary organisations, namely the technology transfer office, an incubator, the science and technopark, and the university company focused on technology commercialisation.

International experience of technology transfer offices in the biomedical field for the usage in Ukraine

Modern trends in the development of innovative activities as a key to the economic growth of the country necessitate the creation of technology transfer offices (OTTs) that coordinate the relationship between research institutions and industry for innovation implementation. The purpose of the article is to study the best international practices of OTT activities in the field of biomedical sciences and adapt their experience to the modern realities of Ukraine. An analysis of foreign and domestic scientific sources and legal acts in the area of the practice and experience of the most well-known OTTs was carried out. According to the analysis of the best practices of OTTs in developed countries, recommendations were made to improve the effectiveness of the functioning of domestic OTTs in the field of biomedical sciences, taking into account the realities of today. It was found that only a small percentage of intellectual property of a scientific or higher education institution is potentially capable of generating significant financial profits. The article presents practical suggestions for the management of domestic scientific institutions, arising from the accumulated experience of well-known OTTs.

Підходи до комерціалізації результатів інноваційної діяльності спільних підприємств

Various approaches to the commercialization of the results of innovative activities of joint enterprises are considered. According to the results of the review of the results of the evaluation of the innovative activity of the countries of the world, a ranking scheme of the leading countries in terms of the directions of innovative activity was generated. The process of commercialization of the results of innovative activities of enterprises is described. Systematized methods of evaluating the potential of commercialization of innovative activity, among which the method of technological audit, the method of fuzzy logic and the four-dimensional approach are highlighted. Approaches to evaluating its effectiveness are considered. Emphasis is placed on the main criteria in approaches to the commercialization of innovations, namely on the evaluation of the potential of commercialization and the assessment of its effectiveness. The list of indicators allowing to evaluate the financial result of the commercialization of the company’s innovations is highlighted. Methods of assessing the prospects and readiness for market commercialization of innovative developments, which are most adaptable for joint ventures, are described. The priority list includes the methodology for assessing the readiness for market commercialization of scientific developments, the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) methodology, developed by the US National Aerospace Agency NASA, and the TPRL (Technology Project Readiness Level) methodology. The main centers of transformation of innovative ideas or research results into marketable products or services are highlighted. The focus is on Technology Transfer Offices (TTO), startup accelerators and incubators, public-private partnerships, direct investment in research and development, open innovation, cluster innovation projects, and market-oriented innovation. The procedure for assessing the levels of suitability for commercialization of innovative development is illustrated. Based on the results of the conducted research, a general scheme for the commercialization of innovations was built.

Exploring the current state of technology transfer in the United States: perspectives and improvement strategies from the experts.

Technology transfer (TT) is a necessary, yet complex process to convey and disseminate scientific knowledge to the commercial sector. However, multiple barriers in TT can impede commercialization and innovative progress. To cultivate a deeper understanding, we conducted five interviews with strategic, elite leaders in different areas of TT in the United States. Experts shared their perspectives on the current state of TT, what needs improvement, and potential solutions to enhance the TT landscape, with a focus on biotechnology and medical devices. The formation of strong management teams, a comprehension of the regulatory, reimbursement, and funding pathways and policies, and thorough market assessments were noted as key aspects for venture success. Collaboration with Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), industry experts, and strategic partners are also essential to support academic innovators and guide them throughout the complex commercialization process. There is agreement that a venture should have a defined vision and clear goals with a robust business case for the innovation; early involvement of TTOs is essential. Comprehension of the complexities and key facets of TT, while also streamlining the process, will better position biomedical innovators for success.

The role of university–industry linkages in promoting technology transfer: implementation of triple helix model relations

AbstractThis study recognized the importance of linking higher education institutions with various industries in a given country to promote technology transfer and sustainable development. However, in one or another way, the linkage was not well-practiced in Ethiopia. The study aims to assess the role of university–industry linkages in technology transfer and identify the barriers and opportunities of the linkage. Universities have institutionalized intermediary organizations such as technology transfer offices, collaborative research centers, incubators, and science parks to enhance university–industry collaboration. The collaboration between academia and industry is understood as the transactions between universities and firms that involve the exchange of knowledge, skills, resources, and capabilities. The study uses the concept of the triple helix model and proposes the establishment of the Higher Education Institutions–Industry Resource Integration Center as a way forward to solving the problems that Ethiopian industries are facing. A triple helix of university–industry–government relations is emerging as a common format that transcends national boundaries. The integration of these functions is changing the nature of the university and its role in society. The potential for national development in Ethiopia and elsewhere resides in entrepreneurial universities taking the lead in infusing knowledge, innovation, technology, and enterprise into the entire society.

Unveiling predictors influencing patent licensing: Analyzing patent scope in robotics and automation

Ensuring the sustainability of technology transfer offices depends on effective patent licensing strategies. This study investigates novel predictors for patent licensing prediction. It emphasizes the importance of judiciously selecting suitable patent-scope metrics to enhance the likelihood of successful patent licensing agreements. This work focuses on a critical aspect of patent scope, specifically examining the number of independent claims, the length of the first claim, the depth of the claim, the Cooperative Patent classification count, the non-US family count, and the family independent count. Additionally, we consider conventional metrics previously investigated in prior research, such as claim count, the count within the International Patent Classification, and Simple Family Application. Our empirical analysis harnesses a dataset comprising patents from university technology transfers within the robotics and automation domain. We analyze the relationship between patent scope measures and licensing outcomes using data visualization and statistical techniques, including the point-biserial correlation coefficient and the t-test. Comparative analysis of the statistical results is performed to identify the most impactful predictor. Our study reveals a correlation between the number of independent claims and the success of patent licensing. In contrast, the rest of the investigated measures do not impact the success of patent licensing.

Analisis Peran dan Fungsi Science Techno Park, Technology Transfer Office dan Technology Business Incubator untuk Mendukung Proses Komersialisasi Hasil Riset Perguruan Tinggi (Studi Kasus: Universitas Telkom)

The government has launched a program to increase research in universities and commercialize research results in order to improve the economy and foster an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age, besides that it is expected to have an impact on society and the surrounding environment to support the era of globalization and digitalization which is increasingly developing today. the purpose of this study is to re-identify how the role and function of each of these entities in order to support the commercialization of research results of the Telkom University academic community and how the entities relate to each other which can be mapped through the Entity Relationship Diagram. this research uses qualitative research. The object of research is the technology transfer office, technology business incubator, and science techno park incorporated in the Bandung Techno Park area. The results of this study indicate that the function and role of STP is to create a culture of entrepreneurship and commercialize innovative products from the Telkom University academic community. the function and role of TTO is to protect Intellectual Property from the results of innovative products and commercialize in the form of Industrial Licensing or Cooperation contracts. The function and role of TBI is to develop entrepreneurship programs, business incubation and form spinoff companies. The relationship between these three entities is that STP oversees innovation products from upstream to downstream in its area, which is the Directorate of BTP and PPM. TTO helps the process of being born from the innovation products escorted by STP, which can be said to be BTP as a whole more specifically in the KI&TTO Center, then also PT BUT. TBI is in the middle of STP and TTO whether it needs to be incubated or can be directly commercialized, which is the BTP Incubator and Business Innovation (IIB) unit.

Commercialization of Intellectual Property Rights at Universities as an Additional Revenue Stream

This paper investigates the commercialization of Intellectual Property (IPRs) at universities and the potential for universities in Kenya to leverage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) as a vital revenue source. Even though they possess significant intellectual assets, many universities have failed to utilize IPRs and in turn, losing opportunities for income generation. The paper introduces the concept of IP commercialization and the legal IP framework in Kenya and proceeds to discuss how research conducted in institutions of higher learning can be commercialized through an analysis of best practices and case studies. The discussion outlines the relevance of Intellectual Property to universities, the strategies for universities to maximize the value of their IPRs and establish sustainable income streams. Drawing upon relevant literature and academic research, it provides insights into the commercialization process, legal considerations, and the role of technology transfer offices in facilitating successful IPR monetization. The paper concludes by establishing that by implementing proactive strategies and fostering a culture of innovation, universities in Kenya can unlock the full potential of their intellectual assets and achieve financial sustainability.

Commercial roadmap of nanobiosensor development

A nanobiosensor is a tool that converts a biological stimulus into an electrical output via nanosized transducer elements. Nanobiosensors are promising instruments, especially in biomedical applications in the literature and industry. To develop a nanobiosensor from idea to product, a life-cycle approach that comprises various processes ranging from conception through commercialization is required. Developers and potential investors should examine market requirements, design possibilities, feasibility, financial return, and risk assessments when developing a nanobiosensor development concept. It is critical to establish a well-defined regulatory pathway for bringing innovation to market at a low cost and in a short period. R&D should conduct thorough examinations of nanomaterial toxicity and health effects, involving marketing, advertising, and financial analysis. Stakeholders should discuss technology transfer office protocols for faster, healthier operations.

Entrepreneurial universities: Modelling the link between innovation producers and innovation users shows that team structures in the tech transfer function improves performance

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;">To investigate successful technology transfer, the potential path of innovations from the university research bench to the knowledge recipient is modelled. Universities exist in highly regulated environments and the initial path of decision-making is a hierarchical model and where decisions flow upward from manager to manager until a small number of candidate innovations for commercialization remain. These are then routed for further processing to the link connecting to the knowledge recipient, the Technology Transfer Office (TTO). In the TTO, a hierarchical decision-making model can be acceptable in terms of outcomes, but ambidextrous co-operative team structures are much superior in cases where staff have good insight and decision-making abilities. This report represents the first Structured Equation Model investigation of the management architecture of a TTO.</span></p>

Mapping the Technology Transfer Offices in Greece: Initial Outcomes Concerning Medical and Health Technologies and Next Steps

AbstractWhile the academic debate on how to transfer technology from universities and research centres to the society is not absent in Greece, yet the study of the institutions mediating in this process is not that advanced. Here, we present the results from our first survey on the Technology Transfer Offices of 12 major Greek universities and research centres. We analyse their structure, regulations and classification of services, and report on their industrial (patents, trademarks, etc.) and intellectual (copyright, digital content, etc.) property outputs. Furthermore, we explore potential patterns of collaboration. With a few notable exceptions in a limited number of aspects that formulate the everyday workings and performance indicators of the examined TTOs, findings indicate an underdeveloped ecosystem with significant room for improvement. The research presented here is part of a broader project, which aims to map the entire ecosystem of the Greek higher education institutions and research centres.