New OTT Initiatives
:::: Nagoya University Showcase ::::
In February of this year, Nagoya University hosted the NU-TECH 2010 Showcase: Investing in Collaborative Technologies in Life Science, Biotechnology, and Engineering. As part of the showcase, Nagoya University was kind enough to include technologies from NC State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and East Carolina University, along with the technologies from Nagoya’s own innovation network.
NC State showcased two technologies. First was “Construction of Avirulent Strains of Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium for Use As a Live Vaccine,” developed by Dr. Hosni Hassan of the Department of Microbiology. The second technology was “Development of Porous Starch-Based Nano-Particles”, developed by Dr. Khaled El-Tahlaway and Dr. Renzo Shamey of the Department of Textile Engineering Chemistry and Science.
As a result of the Nagoya Showcase presentation, The News and Observer published an article on the work done by Drs. El-Tahlawy and Shamey entitled “Chemists going green in world of nanotech.” The exposure led to further interest from the venture community, and NC State is currently in the process of negotiating for a new start-up venture centered on the starch nano-particle platform technology.
:::: Beyond "Push" Marketing: NCSU's TechFinder ® Database ::::
In the field of technology licensing, the most prominent concern for licensing professionals is finding effective ways of marketing the technologies that are managed by the university. Here at the NC State Office of Technology Transfer, we have begun to find continued marketing success with methods outside of “push” marketing.
Over the past few years, the Office of Technology Transfer has been utilizing its TechFinder® technology database as an easy, searchable tool for companies looking for technologies that will meet their needs. TechFinder® is populated solely by information provided by NCSU inventors and updated to the database by the Office of Technology Transfer, making it an entirely NCSU-specific searching tool.
Visitors to TechFinder® are able to search via keyword, technology title, or inventor name. They also have the option of browsing the entire catalog of available technologies. Please browse the TechFinder® portal for more information: http://techfinder.ncsu.edu/
One example of a successful TechTracS search is the story of Quanix Digital, Inc, a technology brokering firm started by Shaji Thomas of Durham. While browsing TechTracS, Shaji came across NCSU technology “Green” Organic Photovoltaics, developed by Dr. Harald Ade of the Physics Department. Shaji contacted the Office of Technology Transfer about the photovoltaic technology, and his interest has resulted in both a new patent filing and an exclusive license agreement.
:::: Coming Attraction for NCSU Inventors: Online Invention Disclosures ::::
As we move into Fiscal Year 2011, the Office of Technology Transfer is preparing to launch an Online Invention Disclosure portal. This portal is anticipated to drastically reduce the amount of time required by NCSU faculty and staff to submit an invention disclosure. In addition, the portal will automate the electronic routing of the disclosure around campus for appropriate Department and College-level approvals, reducing paper waste and resulting in a shorter review timeline.
:::: Increased Transparency through Manager’s Portal ::::
For the past two years, the OTT has been providing College Deans and Department Heads with quarterly summaries of the activity associated with their college and department. In order to allow NCSU administrators access to real-time analysis of activity associated with their college, OTT has entered into an agreement with Knowledge Sharing Systems to roll out Manager’s Portal during FY2010. Manager's Portal will increase OTT's level of transparency by giving administrators direct, unfettered access to the technology, agreement and patent activity associated with their college and department in an easy-to-use, web-based access portal.
OTT’s continued investment in Knowledge Sharing System’s innovation management software allows us to remain on the cutting edge of customer service enhancements to NC State’s faculty and staff, and to continue to build and foster relationships with potential licensees in the business community.
:::: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE™) ::::
Established in 1995, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE™) is an ongoing project of the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). DSIRE™ (www.dsireusa.org) currently contains information regarding 2,500 financial incentives and policies establish by the federal government, states, territories, local governments, and electric and gas utilities. Such incentives are designed to lower the cost of installing renewable-energy systems (e.g., solar panels) and energy-efficient technologies, (e.g. Energy Star-compliant appliances). DSIRE™ is routinely updated with descriptions of the latest available incentives information and content that is created by NCSU. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE), primarily through the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis (PBA). The site is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
The copyrighted, NCSU-created content in DSIRE has been licensed to more than 20 companies for use in their internal processes, web site content, and commercial products under the myDSIRE license agreement. This license agreement allows the licensee to receive a regularly updated feed containing licensed data and to customize the data for their specific use according to the terms of the license agreement. These partnerships have benefited companies who now have access to a wide range of current energy incentives data to improve their services and product offerings, as well as consumers who have many more avenues available to learn about and access this information.