Article of the Month – Top TTO Challenges

An Introduction to the Basic Complexities of Technology Transfer

Les Nouvelles, the journal of the Licensing Executives Society International (LES), recently published a fascinating article on the challenges of university technology transfer. One of the article's key contributors was YEDA's CEO Gil Granot-Mayer.

University technology transfer is a challenging, multi-faceted task. It is also a task that requires a detailed and thorough methodology. In an article that was recently selected as article of the month by Les Nouvelles, Three TT experts described this fascinating process. The three are Katharine Ku from Stanford University, Laurent Miéville from the University of Geneva and Gil Granot-Mayer from The Weizmann Institute of Science.

The article takes us through the various challenges facing academic technology transfer and potential commercialization, and the different steps taken to overcome them. The three experts begin by discussing the basics, which includes:

·        Initial involvement of academic researchers in transfer activities

·        Research evaluation from a commercialization standpoint

·        The goal of technology maturation

·        Potential conflicts of interests

·        The role of start-ups in technology transfer and more.

The Weizmann Institute of Science established YEDA, its very own technology transfer arm, over 60 years ago (the 2nd such organization to be established in the world). In the article, YEDA CEO Gil Granot-Mayer shared some of the insights and practices that have proven to be very effective for the YEDA team.

Such practices include a conservative approach to student participation in industry-sponsored projects, in order to allow them maximum freedom and minimum distraction; filing many initial applications, with the knowledge that the majority will eventually be terminated; technology maturation via an in-house acceleration project called IDEA; implementing mandatory steps to avoid conflicts of interests before they have a chance to materialize; and exercising an active approach to IP development, in the form of start-up formation.

The insights shared by Ku, Miéville and Granot-Mayer present an opportunity to learn more about the exciting world of university technology transfer. This important work is helping to change our world for the better.

The article was selected by Les Nouvelles as the April article of the month.