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Reports : Academic Licensing Lessons Learned
In October 2009, Jeff Skinner, UCL London asked the AURIL community "where do licences between the commercial and sector sectors originate from?
He suggested primarily three sources:
1. Previous research agreements
2. Personal Contact
3. The proactive intervention of the technology transfer office through targeted marketing, generalised networking or communication initiatives
Jeff received feedback from 40 fellow technology transfer professionals. His conclusions were:
1. Where licensing activity is stimulated by the technology transfer office, it usually follows after substantial investment of time and heroic effort;
2. The coincidence of existing relationships and company approaches is important for deal flow, suggesting the importance of networking using links such as Nexxus in Scotland and the London Technology Network in the South of England? This is borne out by further evidence that some opportunities result from the investment made in 'networks and relationships built with companies ahead and independent of any deal. Perhaps this is further evidence that people invest time and effort and buy from people?
3. The major role of the technology transfer office is ofter seen as negotiating the deal and protecting the academic partner against the downside (liability, academic restrictions. Here the technology translator may take a role in managing the process once the licensee has been found
4. Proof of concept funding is regularly employed to prepare technology for licensing and this is used intelligently and to real effect
5. Increasingly, licensees are spin-outs from the academic base
6. Just over 50% of licensees identify the licensing opportunity themselves
7. Most of the licensees come from direct contacts made by the academics or companies that have long term relationships with the licensor and these contacts are maintained through regular contact and events
To learn more, contact Jeff Skinner who graciously granted permission to use this data