Univ. of Wash. - Technology Transfer becomes the Center for Commercialization

University Week (Nick) - The UW Office of Technology Transfer is changing its name to the Center for Commercialization, or UWC4C, thus better reflecting what its leader sees as its expanded role at the University.

University Tech Transfer was largely created by the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980. Under the terms of that act, intellectual property coming out of federally funded research -- which previously had gone back to the federal government -- was allowed to remain with the research institution, provided the research institution followed certain rules. After it was passed, tech transfer offices sprang up at universities across the country to handle intellectual property and pursue licensing opportunities for it. Since 1980, however, the practice has continually evolved, and the UW office has been striving to find successful models for supporting researchers with their commercialization goals.

"We've also revamped our commercialization grant program, which we operate in conjunction with the Washington Research Foundation," Rhoads said. "We give out 15 to 20 $50,000 grants a year, but now we're including the assignment of a team to help any researcher who wins one." The team will include an entrepreneur-in-residence, a patent agent and an MBA student who helps to investigate market opportunities. Other advisers may be called in, depending on the nature of the work. "So to win a grant is now to be on a list of projects that we as an office are committed to working on," Rhoads said.