Office of Technology Commercialization

Overview

The OTC assists the transfer of inventions, created at UTD by faculty, staff and students, from the laboratory to the private sector for further development and commercialization (and “productization”).  The OTC achieves this objective through its invention management process that includes:  evaluating patentability and commercial feasibility of UTD inventions , protecting intellectual property (e.g., patenting), assessing options for commercialization, and, in appropriate cases, actively assisting the transfer of a technology to a commercial enterprise for further development .   Any royalty revenues received from the commercialization of UTD inventions are shared with the UTD inventor(s)—for more information on revenue sharing, see Policies and Guidelines.  The OTC takes a customer-centric, collaborative approach when assisting inventors and strives for timely and definitive feedback to inventors regarding the invention management status.    For more information about the OTC Process, click here.

Breadth of OTC’s Approach---invention evaluation to start-up assistance

Given the breadth of business experience of OTC personnel and the seamless relationship with the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UTD, the OTC not only manages invention evaluation and licensing, but may proactively facilitate  the creation and launch of new enterprises for certain technologies, should the inventor desire to participate in such an endeavor.  Also, startups can provide the foundation for raising additional research funding to further develop a technology both inside and outside the institution.  For more information on Start-ups, click here.

Rationale

The Foundation:  In 1980, the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 96-517, the Bayh-Dole Act, which provides that rights to inventions resulting from government-sponsored research at universities would be assigned to the universities.

Why disclose and protect university inventions?  Disclosing and protecting university inventions may foster relationships with industry to bolster funding for research and education at UTD and provides students connections with industry.  It also enables partial fulfillment of UTD’s service mission and fulfills legislation and initiatives for universities to commercialize government sponsored research when possible (see Bayh-Dole Act, 1980).

Who Benefits?  UTD inventors, UT Dallas, the community, the region, Texas, US Government, industry, and the public.  When a UTD invention moves from the lab to the marketplace successfully, the University and its inventors may not only contribute to the economic health of the region and state, but to the betterment of society and human-welfare generally. 

Commercial Feasibility

When a UTD inventor considers whether the results of laboratory research represent a commercially viable and patentable invention, the inventor can ask several key questions to assist the initial assessment of invention’s commercial viability or readiness.  For an introduction to assessing commercial feasibility or readiness please see the questionnaire for Commercial Viability Assessment.

QUICK LINKS

 

• Submit Invention Disclosure
• Commercial Viability Assessment
• The OTC Process
• Intellectual Property Primer
• Policies and Guidelines
• Forms
• Contact OTC
• Start-ups
• Funding Resources