Today the OTD was giving a seminar about commercialization of invention (titled "Industry Call for Opportunities"), so I went.
Following is how it works, in short.
(a) Once we find something (discovery or invention) with commercialization potential, we file a disclosure of invention to the OTD.
(b) They determine whether they/we pursue intellectual property (IP) claim (aka patent).
There are some conditions to be met to file an IP claim. We need to be careful about disclosure or publication.
(c) Once we decide to file patent, the OTD will write up document for intellectual property claim application, and file it to the patent office.
By this time, the discovery or invention is presented in a form of a "new technology".
(d) Based on the invention/discovery, we (the OTD and researcher) prepare for a "Marketing Abstract".
The Marketing Abstract is a searchable summary of the new technology. It will be also presented by the OTD in local and international conventions for new technologies.
The Marketing Abstract should briefly tell (i) what the technology is, (ii) what the technology does, and (iii) what advantage the technology has over others (competitive advantage or innovation). In short, value proposition.
From our standpoint, preparing for the Marketing Abstract for our technology is a milestone.
(e) The OTD (and us) have additional job. They (we) will try to "sell" our technology, so to speak, to the party interested in the technology, such as pharmaceuticals, ventures, and investors. Also, people in the industry do search for what they want, and once the Marketing Abstract is out, our technology can be "found".
The OTD and industry both subscribe to an online "matchmaking" system, which helps to connect a new technology and a searching party.
(f) Once the technology is found and interested by a party, the OTD will negotiate with them about the use, such as licencing, commercialization, or research aid.
Here is another milestone closer to the "final goal" of the technology changing the world.
We in academia tend to go for publication first. But we need to consider delaying publication when intellectual property rights are involved. Now we are talking about translating science into a business in real world.
It helps to know these and plan accordingly.
Also today, we had a Geroscience symposium in nearby OMRF (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation).
Link:
https://gerosciencemeeting.omrf.org/
The theme was "The role of inflammation in aging and age-associated diseases", which is involved in what we do in cancer prevention studies and in Alzheimer's.
The main auditorium is several minutes walk away. I attended a few sessions. It was interesting to see similar biological events from different angles. Scientists in different research fields tend to have different "basics" and different ways of thinking.
Today passed so quickly. It was a busy day, although not feeling like so.
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