This paper reviews university programs that seek to promote technology transfer through entrepreneurial development. It describes fourkey factors (talent, technology, capital and know-how) Improving the effectiveness of technology transfer and being involved in more industry-directed research have become increasingly important in US universities. Faced with declining federal and state sources of support, rising equipment needs, and community expectations for higher levels of involvement in economic development, universities are considering new and expanded ways to transfer and commercialize technology. As a result, there are increasing opportunities for emerging as well as established companies to use university resources to develop and expand market opportunities. (1,1 0,20) This paper examines the technology-transfer process through the new-business incubator by placing the concept within a university's technology-transfer strategy, describing the incubator system, detailing success factors for tenant companies, and providing examples of selected university incubators. It presents survey data, on-site analysis, and interview results on university-related incubator development.
UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY-TRANSFER APPROACHESAcademic resources for technology transfer include laboratory facilities, key personnel, research leadership, and an environment conducive to technology development. To leverage these resources, universities are experimenting with several approaches to encourage and help faculty researchers to be more For example, W.R. G race and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have an agreement to undertake microbiology studies. Research topics are proposed to a committee of four company managers and four professors. The funded projects are undertaken by the research group who report their findings to the committee. MIT retains patents and can publish the results after a review for propriety information, while Grace gets a royalty-free license.University researchers are acquiring more responsibility and authority to administer their research units. The director of the Center for Microcomputer Applications at the University of Tulsa, for example, determines the projects and the role of the university in each of the projects.Some universities are providing up-front financial support with expectations of returns from eventual sales. The University of Texas at Austin, for example, constructed a new building and laboratories on campus for use by the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (a 20-company research and development consortium) and will provide similar support for SEMATECH (a semi-conductor consortium).In many universities the research teams are gaining authority to pursue industrial support, negotiate patents, and determine royalties. And faculty are being given more flexibility to act as industry consultants, especially to firms that license faculty technologies. (18,21)
