Danish Patent Exchange

Bridging the Knowledge Gap: A Danish Objective

Gert Balling Ph.D.Coordinator of the National Network for Technology Transfer, Denmark.

Overview

The National Network for Technology Transfer - techtrans.dk runs the Patent Exchange

Members of network: 11 universities, 9 national laboratories and 5 university hospitals

The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation is co-funding the operation and development of the Patent Exchange

The Patent Exchange is the only unifying presentation of public research patents for sale or licensing in Denmark

Public Research Commercialization Survey, Denmark 2005

Survey conducted jointly with The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation

2005 a break through in commercial results:- Number of license deals and assignments

almost doubled from 2004-2005- 70% increase in income from licenses and

assignments of IP from 2004-2005- 2005: 281 invention disclosures, 87 patent

applications, 81 agreements licensing or assigning IPR, 95 active licenses, 13 spin outs.

Key goals

Support commercialization by collecting, listing and presenting public research patents

Create online ”marketplace”, a “showroom” for researchers/institutions and their inventions

Missing link between industry and techtrans-office/researchers

Each patent description should include both management summary and business opportunities – i.e. focus on the industry: companies, partners, investors

Always updated information, easy searchable

Key considerations

Prioritize customer need

Balance design of the patent description with both industry and institutions in mind

Make plans for integrating information along the line - needs flexible design

Plan for ongoing contact with institutions on updates

Project sketch

1 Set up a steering group with authority to take decisions

2 Outline key goals and target groups

3 Set up a project team, value collaboration

4 Design and upload a rough sketch of site

5 Run usability test on sketch site with representation of target groups

6 Analyze test results, prioritize user requests

7 Steering group approval on adjustments

8 Adjustment of design and programming – and endless re-adjustments

9 Incorporate statistics software for analyzing user patterns

10 Set a ”marketing” budget and plan for ongoing profiling

Team – collaboration

Technology and content must interact

Flexible collaboration is essential to incorporate ongoing adjustments and development

Content management must be user friendly

Partners:www.kadence.info www.blobcom.com

Design – structure I

Signal colors: Green and red

Frontpage header with 5 categories + list all

Vertical main menu with categories is visible on all pages

Red arrow shows menu navigation

Multiple search options on each page

Design – structure II

Technology

XML based Content Management System

Updating users via RSS (XML)

Flexible look and feel

Tab based presentation of the patents

Flexible categorization + complete list

Searchable – Google solution, open source

Dual-language from start (Danish, English)

Content Management System example

Content Management System with user friendly overview of each part of page

Content Management System facilitates easy copying of pages and menus for translations

Content Management System incorporates RSS feature for news of new patents uploaded

Awareness - institutions

Local techtrans offices in ongoing contact with the techtrans network (site, news letters etc.)

Template for information on each patent description (Danish/English) is found online

Ministry focus on the Patent Exchange supports awareness top-down

Media focus on commercialization forces awareness on publishing research patents

Prestige about new deals, license agreements, patents, research discoveries, supports the institutions’ awareness on publishing them

Marketing

Own URL: www.patentbors.dk

Integrated part of portal and newsletter: www.techtrans.dk

Links from member institutional websites

Links from official authority websites

Google AdWords, further online advertising

Other kinds of PR from the techtrans network

Questions are welcomed

Contact details

The national Network for Technology Transfer, Denmark

CoordinatorGert Balling

Phone: + 45 4525 1115

E-mail: gba@adm.dtu.dk

Web: www.techtrans.dkwww.patentbors.dk