Technology Transfer at Case Western Reserve University

Mission Statement

The purpose of technology transfer at Case Western Reserve University is to benefit society by disseminating university discoveries through commercialization. The University will utilize best practices to advance the education, discovery, and service missions of the university through commercialization of discoveries made at the University, through information workshops and seminars, and through fostering partnerships with industry.

Approach

In order to achieve this mission, the technology transfer organization will: 1) serve as a facilitating interface between interested faculty and commercial entities outside of the university, 2) serve as a source of knowledge regarding technology transfer to internal and external participants in the commercialization, 3) provide efficient methods to process the documents necessary for university/industria1 interaction, and 4) effectively monitor continuing commercialization commitments of and to the University. The technology transfer effort will be led by the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer, who is the academic representative of the university faculty ensuring that technology transfer activity enhances the academic mission of the University.

Organization of Technology Transfer

There are currently five staff members at CWRU, including four professionals, whose principal responsibility is technology transfer. The overall activity is the direct responsibility of the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer. This group is responsible for all of the University's research and licensing agreements with non-government entities. These agreements include those guiding industrially sponsored research, research collaborations with industry based on the transfer of material or expertise, and licensing of University discovery.

During the past year, the number of staff dedicated to technology transfer has increased from two to five. Over the coming year, this number is expected to increase to at least eight staff members. Most of the increase in staff will be targeted at increasing interaction between commercialization partners and the University. To this end, CWRU will increase the number of technology transfer agents that seek to form partnerships with companies to commercialize University discovery.

The following sections outline the fundamental guiding principles and the goals for technology transfer at CWRU.

Guiding Principles for University Commercialization Agreements

1. The University will assure that its agreements foster commercialization for the benefit of society and do not permit unreasonable reservation of discovery from use.
2. The University will ensure that university agreements enhance the ability of university researchers to fulfill their academic mission of education, discovery, and scholarly exchange.
   • A. The University will enter into agreements that protect the ability of university faculty, staff, and students to disseminate the results of their research through publication.
   • B. The University will control its exposure to risk by entering into agreements that balance the benefits and risk accruing to the University as a result of those agreements.
   • C. The University will enter into agreements that enhance future research opportunities for faculty.
3. The University will enter into agreements that take into account the intellectual contribution and partnership of industry with the University.
4. The University respects the rights of inventors, management centers, and the University itself to receive appropriate remuneration for intellectual property developed at the University.

Specific Goals for Technology Transfer at CWRU

1. Increase the benefit to society of university research by increasing the number and value of commercialized university discoveries and the impact of such commercialization on the local and global community.
2. Develop strong partnerships with industry to enhance the ability of the University to achieve its mission by disseminating university discovery through facilitated commercialization.
3. Define, in coordination with academic units of the University, a published set of fundamental principles designed to guide negotiation of commercialization agreements.
4. Develop efficient and timely processes for negotiation and acceptance of commercialization agreements. Also provide and monitor metrics to evaluate and improve these processes.
5. Evaluate best practices in technology transfer from across the nation and incorporate appropriate practices into the technology transfer effort at CWRU.
6. Establish a set of standard agreements that are appropriate for the majority of commercialization activities.
7. Increase faculty understanding of commercialization processes and the obligations and benefits they may encounter as they commercialize discoveries made at the University.
8. Increase awareness by commercialization partners of the opportunities for commercialization of university discovery through individual contact, workshops, and electronic means.
9. Establish regular mechanisms for evaluation of technology transfer process effectiveness through feedback from participants in CWRU technology transfer: faculty, commercialization partners, community leaders, and university administration.

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