Table of Contents
Technology transfer strategies
Executive Summary 10
An introduction to technology transfer 10
Technology transfer trends 11
Geographical differences 12
Structuring the function 13
Bridging the funding gap 14
Chapter 1 An introduction to technology transfer 16
Summary 16
Introduction 17
Defining technology transfer 17
A brief history 19
Key issues 20
Geographical differences 21
Structuring the function 22
Bridging the funding gap 22
Chapter 2 Technology transfer trends 24
Summary 24
Introduction 25
Technology transfer funding trends 25
US 25
Europe 27
Canada 29
Technology transfer outcome trends 31
US 31
Europe 38
Canada 39
Technology transfer return on investment trends 41
US 41
Europe 43
Canada 45
Technology transfer league tables 47
Healthcare measures 47
Technology transfer trends 53
Trends by research budget 55
Trends by age 57
Trends by office size 59
Key trends 61
Geographical differences 61
Structuring the function 62
Bridging the funding gap 63
Chapter 3 Geographical differences 66
Summary 66
Introduction 67
Country-level regulations 67
IP ownership 68
Technology transfer 69
Institutional location 70
Technology transfer in the US 72
IP ownership 73
Technology transfer 74
Technology transfer in Europe 75
IP ownership 75
Technology transfer 76
Technology transfer in the rest of the world 77
Japan 77
Canada 78
Australia 78
Recommendations 79
Chapter 4 Structuring the function 82
Summary 82
Introduction 83
Structural issues 83
Commercial returns 85
Operational effectiveness 86
Culture and process 88
Independence 90
In-house, non-profit model 91
Case study: University of California 92
Case study: K.U.Leuven 94
Case study: City of Hope 96
Independent, non-profit model 97
Case study: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation 97
Case study: Arizona Technology Enterprises 100
Case study: Isis Innovation 101
Independent, for-profit model 103
Case study: IP Group 103
Case study: Fusion IP 105
Case study: IPSO Ventures 106
Recommendations 108
Chapter 5 Bridging the funding gap 112
Summary 112
Introduction 113
The funding gap 113
Technology transfer start-ups 115
Bridging the gap 116
Translational research 117
University seed capital 117
Alternative venture capital 119
Recommendations 120
Chapter 6 Appendix 124
Research sources 124
Bibliography 124
List of Figures
Figure 1.1: The technology transfer process 18
Figure 2.2: Average research expenditure for US Universities,
Hospitals and Research Institutions, 1997-2006 26
Figure 2.3: Average US Technology Transfer Office staffing
levels, 1997-2006 27
Figure 2.4: Distribution of European Technology Transfer Offices
by staffing levels, 2006 28
Figure 2.5: Average research expenditure for Canadian
Universities, 1996-2006 29
Figure 2.6: Canadian venture capital investments and
fundraising, 2003-2006 30
Figure 2.7: Average number of invention disclosures received by
US Technology Transfer Offices, 1997-2006 31
Figure 2.8: Average number of patents processed by US Technology
Transfer Offices, 2001-2006 33
Figure 2.9: Average number and value of US Technology Transfer
licenses, 2004-2006 35
Figure 2.10: US Technology Transfer licenses by exclusivity,
2006 36
Figure 2.11: US Technology Transfer licenses by size of partner,
2006 37
Figure 2.12: Average change in European Technology Transfer
outcomes, 2004-2006 38
Figure 2.13: Average number of innovation disclosures and
patents processed by Canadian Technology Transfer Offices,
1996-2006 39
Figure 2.14: Average license revenue received by Canadian
Technology Transfer Offices, 2000- 2006 40
Figure 2.15: Rate of return for invention disclosures received
by US Technology Transfer Offices,1997-2006 41
Figure 2.16: Rate of return for patents processed by US
Technology Transfer Offices, 2001-2006 42
Figure 2.17: Rate of return for US Technology Transfer licenses,
2004-2006 43
Figure 2.18: Rate of return for innovation disclosures and
patents processed by Canadian Technology Transfer Offices,
1996-2006 45
Figure 2.19: Rate of return for Canadian Technology Transfer
licensing, 2000-2006 46
Figure 2.20: Surrogate outcomes for the top 10 US university
technology transfer offices ranked by research budget, 2006 55
Figure 2.21: Technology transfer outcomes for the top 10 US
university technology transfer offices ranked by research
budget, 2006 56
Figure 2.22: Surrogate outcomes for the top 10 US university
technology transfer offices ranked by year established, 2006 57
Figure 2.23: Technology transfer outcomes for the top 10 US
university technology transfer offices ranked by year
established, 2006 58
Figure 2.24: Surrogate outcomes for the top 10 US university
technology transfer offices ranked by office size, 2006 59
Figure 2.25: Technology transfer outcomes for the top 10 US
university technology transfer offices ranked by office size,
2006 60
Figure 4.26: Technology Transfer Office services provided to
European universities, 2006 84
Figure 4.27: Technology Transfer Office services provided to
other European public institutions, 2006 85
Figure 4.28: IP Group’s academic partners 105
Figure 5.29: The technology transfer ‘funding gap’ 114
List of Tables
Table 2.1: Milken Institute University Biotechnology Publication
Rankings, 1998-2002 48
Table 2.2: Milken Institute University Biotech Patent Rankings,
2000-2004 49
Table 2.3: Milken Institute University Biotechnology Publication
and Patent Rankings, 1998- 2004 50
Table 2.4: Top 20 universities by healthcare US patent grants,
2006-07 51
Table 2.5: Top 10 hospital and research institutions by
healthcare US patent grants, 2006-07 52
Table 2.6: Top 10 US university technology transfer offices by
research expenditure, 2006 53
Table 2.7: Top 10 US hospital and research institution
technology transfer offices by research expenditure, 2006 54
Table 3.8: Cross country technology transfer survey results 68
Table 4.9: University of California technology transfer summary,
2008 92
Table 4.10: K U Leuven technology transfer summary, 2008 94
Table 4.11: City of Hope technology transfer summary, 2008 96
Table 4.12: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation technology
transfer summary, 2008 98
Table 4.13: Arizona Technology Enterprises technology transfer
summary, 2008 100
Table 4.14: ISIS Innovation technology transfer summary, 2008
102
Table 4.15: IP Group technology transfer summary, 2008 104
Table 4.16: Fusion IP technology transfer summary, 2008 106
Table 4.17: IPSO Ventures technology transfer summary, 2008 107
