How to organize a How to organize a technology transfer office?technology transfer office?

Lessons learned and pitfallsLessons learned and pitfalls

experiences from The experiences from The NetherlandsNetherlands

Louise van den BosLouise van den Bos

• Director of Technology Transfer & Director of Technology Transfer & LicensingLicensing

• Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Erasmus University Rotterdam, The NetherlandsNetherlands

• vice president ASTP vice president ASTP

• Association of European Science and Association of European Science and Technology Transfer ProfessionalsTechnology Transfer Professionals

Erasmus University Erasmus University RotterdamRotterdam

• 7 Faculties/Schools & Rotterdam 7 Faculties/Schools & Rotterdam School of ManagementSchool of Management

• 20.000 students 20.000 students

• 3500 employees3500 employees

• budget 2002 EURO M260 budget 2002 EURO M260

HistoryHistory

• 1979 - 1985 establishment of so-called 1979 - 1985 establishment of so-called transferpunten at 13 Dutch universitiestransferpunten at 13 Dutch universities

• 1985 - 1989 funding by the Ministry of Economic 1985 - 1989 funding by the Ministry of Economic Affairs Affairs

• Aim: making available the existing body of Aim: making available the existing body of science and technology to industry, esp. SME’sscience and technology to industry, esp. SME’s

• 1989 and onwards: discussions about role and 1989 and onwards: discussions about role and function of transferpuntenfunction of transferpunten

• 2003: 2 transferpunten still existing2003: 2 transferpunten still existing

•

Lesson learnedLesson learned

• define your mission very welldefine your mission very well

• have it approved by the academic have it approved by the academic communitycommunity

• support by the Board of the University support by the Board of the University and the Deans is essential, but …..and the Deans is essential, but …..

• Support by the scientists is even more Support by the scientists is even more essentialessential

StructureStructure

• Transferpunt established in 1984Transferpunt established in 1984

• office in the central administration of the office in the central administration of the universityuniversity

• until 1995 working for all the until 1995 working for all the faculties/schoolsfaculties/schools

• from 1996 - 2003 specialized TTO for the from 1996 - 2003 specialized TTO for the Medical School and the University HospitalMedical School and the University Hospital

• 1995 establishment of Erasmus Holding 1995 establishment of Erasmus Holding company- aim transparency company- aim transparency

Structure TTOStructure TTO

• 4 - 5 fte 4 - 5 fte

• 1 commercial /business person1 commercial /business person

• 1,5 legal advisors with commercial 1,5 legal advisors with commercial backgroundbackground

• 1 advisor from the business community1 advisor from the business community

• 1 office manager1 office manager

• 0,5 secretarial support0,5 secretarial support

Output per yearOutput per year

• 150 requests for extensive support of 150 requests for extensive support of researchersresearchers

• 60 -70 agreements ( MTA/Research 60 -70 agreements ( MTA/Research Agreements/License Agreements/License agreements/Strategic Alliances)agreements/Strategic Alliances)

• yearly research income from industry for yearly research income from industry for the MedicalSchool < EURO M 20the MedicalSchool < EURO M 20

• royalty income difficult to trace - royalty income difficult to trace - university administration! university administration!

PatentsPatents

• Until 1995 Professor’s privilege, but….Until 1995 Professor’s privilege, but….

• Professors prepared to bring their Professors prepared to bring their inventions under the university umbrellainventions under the university umbrella

• Patents often filed in the name of the Patents often filed in the name of the universityuniversity

• 1995 revised Dutch patent law:1995 revised Dutch patent law:

• employer retains the rights in inventions, employer retains the rights in inventions, also the universities,but the inventor has toalso the universities,but the inventor has to

• receive a reasonable award.receive a reasonable award.

Patents Patents

• Until 1998 IPR were mostly regulated in Until 1998 IPR were mostly regulated in early stage Research & License early stage Research & License agreementsagreements

• due to the developments in the USA and due to the developments in the USA and the the

• upcome of the Life Sciences the University upcome of the Life Sciences the University was forced to file patents in her name; was forced to file patents in her name;

• we have now about 50 patent families in we have now about 50 patent families in portfolioportfolio

Lesson learnedLesson learned

• Filing patents is one thingFiling patents is one thing

• Defending patents is costlyDefending patents is costly

• Be prepared, also financially for Be prepared, also financially for unpleasantunpleasant

• surprisessurprises

• Monitor your patents and licenses Monitor your patents and licenses regularlyregularly

Present situationPresent situation

• Huge reorganization: Huge reorganization:

• merger of Medical School and merger of Medical School and University University

• Hospital into Erasmus MCHospital into Erasmus MC

• TTO transferred to Erasmus MCTTO transferred to Erasmus MC

• TTO based on the Administrative TTO based on the Administrative modelmodel

Present situation Present situation

• Holding company partly dissolvingHolding company partly dissolving

• Erasmus MC will establish their own Erasmus MC will establish their own company- 6 subsidiaries of the Holding will company- 6 subsidiaries of the Holding will be transferredbe transferred

• Deans of the Schools of Economics and Deans of the Schools of Economics and Business Administration want to integrate Business Administration want to integrate the businessactivities in their resp.Schoolsthe businessactivities in their resp.Schools

• 1 subsidiary nearly was bankrupt last 1 subsidiary nearly was bankrupt last year.````year.````

Lesson learnedLesson learned

• Importance of networking for the Importance of networking for the exchange exchange

• of information / advise / experiencesof information / advise / experiences

• set up a Norwegian networkset up a Norwegian network

• make use of existing networks such as make use of existing networks such as AUTM in the USA and ASTP in Europe. AUTM in the USA and ASTP in Europe.