North Carolina State University continues to have significant impact by improving the quality of life and economic progress for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. NC State is committed to promoting research and scholarship to bring the benefits of research to our communities. As a public institution, NC State has a responsibility to make its research results available for public benefit. This transfer of academic discovery is the core mission of the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) and implements the concept of the Land Grant mission upon which NC State was founded. The OTT undertakes this service for the University by working closely with inventors to provide counsel regarding patents and copyrights, and to assist in determining the most effective methods for the transfer of technology.

In FY09, the OTT concluded 91 technology commercialization agreements, linking university innovation to the marketplace. This included the formation of four new business start-ups based on NC State technology, all of which are located in North Carolina. Over the past five years, NC State has expanded its role in shaping North Carolina by spinning out 23 new business start-ups, creating more than 200 new jobs. The OTT and its regional partners are committed to expanding existing industries and pioneering the development of new industry clusters in North Carolina.

There is no doubt that NC State's technology transfer and commercialization activities are impacting local, state, and national communities. Our activities contribute to the diversification and growth of North Carolina's economy in areas such as animal and human health, textiles, nanotechnology, and agriculture. More importantly, our activities are changing the way we live. Time, patience, and persistence of those in the innovation ecosystem are required to achieve impact via the conversion of inventions to economically and socially usefully solutions. The development and commercialization of drugs such as Taxol and Restasis, food products such as Splenda and Gatorade, and educational tools like Virtual Microscope Explorer and The Team Learning Assistant illustrate that significant rewards and impact are only achieved when an innovation ecosystem contains the intellectual capital and facilities to foster research and innovation. NC State is unique in this regard. Our Centennial Campus illustrates this principle and serves as a working model that others strive to emulate.

Our annual report details some of the many contributions that we are making. Our theme for the FY2009 report is "Defining our Role in Shaping North Carolina." I hope that you'll be inspired to get involved and assist us in advancing innovation in North Carolina. Together, we can have a lasting impact and effectively address the world's innovation challenges.