News and Events > Newsletters > Monthly Newsletter: June 2006

Today at the TTO

Biotechnology Proof of Concept Grant Funding Signed in Law
Governor Owens signed HB06-1360, thereby establishing the bill as law. The law provides $2M for biotechnology development funding to Colorado universities and research institutions engaged in bioscience research. Research project grant applications of up to $300k will be submitted by university inventors to their institutional technology transfer offices. According to the law, rules for funding must be in place by September 2006. TTO staff will be following the rule-making administrative process and when the RFPs are open for submission, TTO will provide application information to the CU bioscience research investigator community.

In order for a project to be considered for funding, an invention disclosure must have been filed with the Technology Transfer Office. The proposal must be to further validate and develop that invention into a commercial product or service. Investigators who are interested in this funding source are encouraged either to discuss possible inventions with TTO staff or to submit an invention disclosure. Invention disclosure forms can be found at https://www.cu.edu/techtransfer/campus/idf.html.

State Funding for Renewable Energy Research Collaboration
Governor Owens has signed House Bill 1322 into law, which provides funding to a new Colorado renewable energy research collaboration among the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the three Colorado research universities. The initiative is called the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory.

This bill provides funding of up to $2 million per year for three years as matching funds to enable collaborating researchers to qualify for federal and private research projects. CU President Hank Brown called the legislation "an exciting new development for the University of Colorado and other Colorado institutions."
In parallel the CU Boulder Energy Initiative, led by Interim Director Carl Koval, has worked to identify, coordinate, encourage and promote the numerous existing activities on the Boulder Campus that are related to renewable and sustainable energy.

Read more about the CU Boulder Energy Initiative at http://ei.colorado.edu/
Read more about House Bill 1322 at http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/release.cfm/release_id=123

CU Licensee Merck Wins Approval to Market Patented Vaccine from the HSC Lab of Myron Levin
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Merck's new vaccine ZOSTAVAX® [Zoster Vaccine Live (Oka/Merck)] for prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in individuals 60 years of age and older.

Mentor Machines Completes License Agreement with CU
Mentor Machines, Inc. of Boulder, CO and the University of Colorado Technology Transfer Office have signed a license agreement which allows the startup to commercialize Foundations to Literacy®, a comprehensive and individualized computer-based literacy program. The program teaches children to read through face-to-face interaction with a virtual tutor- a lifelike computer character that speaks, emotes-gestures and interacts with students to teach them to read and learn from text. It seamlessly integrates the most sophisticated human language and communication technologies available today with a reading program that is based on cognitive theory, linguistics, and scientifically-based reading research. Foundations to Literacy®, has its roots in the Colorado Literacy Tutor project, with participatory design from teachers and students in federally-funded studies. The company expects to sell its software into public and private education, commercial learning environments and the home education markets.

TTO Hires a New Licensing Associate at UCDHSC
David Poticha is the latest licensing associate to be added in a replacement position to the TTO's health sciences team. In this role David will focus on evaluating invention disclosures, protection and licensing of intellectual property developed by health sciences researchers at the University of Colorado, as well new business creation and commercializing that intellectual property.

David's previous work was with Myogen, where he spent 3 ½ years as the in-house patent and corporate counsel. At Myogen David's duties included patent prosecution, trademark and patent portfolio management, drafting and negotiating lP licenses, creation and management of the IP portfolio and tracking system, membership on the drug branding team, and assisting the general counsel with drafting and negotiating confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements and consulting agreements.

Prior to Myogen David was a student at the University of Colorado School of Law with an emphasis on intellectual property law, passing the Colorado Bar Exam in October of 2002 to become a licensed and practicing patent attorney. David also spent 6 years in graduate school at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in the Department of Microbiology doing graduate research on HIV drug resistance, graduating with a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences. During graduate school David passed the Patent Bar Exam to become a licensed patent agent. David received his Bachelor's of Science in Microbiology at UCLA, where he graduated magna cum laude.

TTO shepherds research and commercialization collaboration between UCDHSC Investigators and Boulder-based Source MDx
University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center (UCDHSC) and Source MDx have entered into a research collaboration in order to develop molecular diagnostic tests for early diagnosis and prognosis of skin diseases including melanoma and psoriasis based on Source MDx's patented molecular medicine technology.

CU Technology and Licensee Companies in the News

GlobeImmune Wins Prestigious Red Herring 100 Award
GlobeImmune was recognized for its pioneering work on yeast-based products called Tarmogens (Targeted Molecular Immunogens), which activate the immune system, including "killer" T cells, to eliminate cancer and infectious diseases.

Phiar Wants to Move Faster
Think your computer is fast? A Boulder business conducting cutting-edge research begs to differ. Phiar Corp. is in the early stages of developing a diode and transistors that would take transfers of data to speeds far beyond current capabilities.

Innovations and Ideas
Castle Rock-based MedShape Solutions Inc. is hammering out a new way of performing knee surgeries. The University of Colorado spinoff is testing a device that would replace the screws surgeons use in anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, surgery.

Stewards of Invention
CU's Technology Transfer Office helps ideas become companies. This is a feature story from the Daily Camera that requires a free registration.

CU Envisions New Science Facilities on East Campus
The University of Colorado is set to unveil a new master plan for its 95-acre research park in east Boulder, including a new $113 million biotechnology center.

Power Requirements Key Issue in Race for New NCAR Supercomputing Center
Sources at the University of Colorado say the school in Boulder is one of two finalists for the National Center for Atmospheric Research's proposed new $75 million supercomputing center.

CU Inventor is Finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Robert Sievers and Aktiv-Dry co-founder Brian Quinn are finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2006 Award in the Rocky Mountain region. This year's 22 finalists were selected from 65 nominations by an independent judging panel composed of area business leaders and past winners. Award recipients will be announced at a special 20th anniversary gala event on June 22, 2006 at the Seawell Ballroom in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Summer Interns in the Boulder Office

The Boulder office has two summer interns from the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship in the Leeds School of Business. Their projects are focused on commercial feasibility analysis of technology concepts that have potential to become startup companies.

Craig Fulghum, a second year MBA intern studying entrepreneurship and finance, is assisting the Technology Transfer staff with the commercial feasibility analysis of several cleantech business opportunities. The projects include a biorefining optimization technology and a process to produce syngas from biomass via a renewable resource.

Devon Cox is a second year MBA intern. This summer he is focusing on Information Technology for his Technology Transfer internship. His projects include an enabling technology for Wireless Sensor Networks, a remote help desk and task assistance kiosk for the elderly, and a medical information survey tool. Cecil Sunder is a second year MBA intern who will be finishing his Technology Transfer internship in the next few weeks. Cecil has evaluated the commercial potential of aerospace, RADAR and wireless technologies.

Craig and Devon work with the Boulder Innovation Center on a weekly basis to get input on their projects. The Boulder Innovation Center is also providing contacts in the local business community who Craig and Devon can talk to for high-level advice on their projects.

Spotlight On:

CU Boulder Technology of the Month:
CU1269B - Hybrid Integrated Photonics

CU HSC Technology of the Month:
1998.9061H - Use of Bryostatins to Treat Cardiovascular Disease

CU Company of the Month:
AKTIV-DRY is a company formed by University of Colorado Professors Bob Sievers and John Carpenter, and Dr. Brian Quinn to commercialize CU inventions in particle synthesis and coating. Aktiv-Dry has a $19.5M grant from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health to develop a needle-free delivery system for measles vaccine.

Upcoming Events

TTO Invites Attendees for a Special Session Following AUTM Meeting
July 16-18, Boulder, CO at St. Julien Hotel - The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), which is the professional association for TTOs, is holding its summer regional meeting in Boulder this year, and the TTO will offer a special post-AUTM session on the University of Colorado's Community-Based Approach to University Spin-Out Companies. Note that St. Julien is offering a discounted group lodging rate to AUTM attendees on a limited first-come, first-served basis.

Invention to Venture workshop by NCIIA
September 22, 2006, Auraria Campus - Coming to Denver: The National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance's acclaimed technology entrepreneurship workshops for faculty, students, and others involved in bringing ideas to market. This is the first Invention to Venture workshop hosted by the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. The workshop is an introduction to the process and practice of technology entrepreneurship. As with all I2V events, the goal is to engage a wide range of participants from the university community, including science and technology students and faculty as well as members of the surrounding business community.

CU Resources

The Robert H. and Beverly A. Deming Center for Entrepreneurship
The Deming Center for Entrepreneurship is quickly becoming a leader in promoting the pursuit of renewable and sustainable energy business opportunities. As part of CU-Boulder's campus-wide drive to promote and support renewable energy research, the center is engaging in a variety of initiatives designed to foster the growth of sustainable entrepreneurship.

The Center hosted its inaugural international Sustainable Venturing Business Plan Competition in February 2006. Escalating worldwide competition for resources such as energy and water, and related environmental issues are creating a substantial demand for innovation, new technologies, and new ventures to serve existing and emerging markets. Business Plans demonstrated venture-grade, for-profit business models, practices, and /or technologies with high growth potential; that provide innovative solutions, services or products to address an unmet need in global sustainability.

The Deming Center for Entrepreneurship and CU's Technology Transfer Office are partnering in support of the university's Energy Initiative.

CU-Boulder Awarded $1.9 Million For Undergraduate Bioscience Education
The University of Colorado at Boulder has been awarded a four-year, $1.9 million bioscience education grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to fund programs benefiting undergraduates and K-12 teachers and their students.

CU Technology Transfer and New Venture Creation Course
This Fall 2006 course is offered through the Bard Center for Entrepreneurship at UCDHSC as either a graduate level degree credit or non-credit course. It examines the process of technology transfer in the academic, government laboratory and corporate setting. The focus of the course will be on the process of creating innovation from inventions, protecting the innovation and intellectual property, and deciding whether to proceed with commercialization. The course will be taught by faculty from academia and the private sector and will involve both lectures and case studies.

Innovation in the News

Patent Office Overwhelmed by Bio-Inventions
Increasing backlogs at the U.S. Patent Office are a longstanding frustration for biotech executives. But they said a new set of proposals meant to reduce the waiting time will not provide much relief.

The Next Wave of the Web
Web gurus and geeks descended on Edinburgh, UK, this week for www2006. Chairing the panel 'The Next Wave of the Web' was Nigel Shadbolt, an artificial intelligence researcher at the University of Southampton, UK, and deputy president of the British Computer Society. Declan Butler asks him about the Web's progress.

Trendspotting: Betting Strong but Playing Safe
An analysis of recent trends in licensing and financing transactions that affect early to mid-stage life science companies and their investors.

College Incubators, Seed Funds OK, IRS Says
Does increasing a university or community college's involvement in tech-based economic development - through technology incubators or early-stage capital programs - detract from the nonprofit, educational purpose of the institution? Fortunately, for many state and regional TBED strategies, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says no. The IRS recently released a ruling affirming the nonprofit status of a college foundation planning to unveil a new high-tech incubator and pre-seed capital fund. The potential benefit of this investment to the college protects the organization's 501(c)(3) status, and the deductibility of its outside contributions, the ruling states.

What Works in Tech Transfer?
An interesting new research paper from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Phillip Phan and Donald Siegel assesses what works in university technology transfer. The researchers base their findings on an exhaustive review of existing research from both the US and the UK. They note that while university technology commercialization is becoming more common, few universities have achieved "success" in these initiatives. The commercialization process is still too slow, too bureaucratic, and too expensive. The authors recommend that university administrators take a value chain approach to their technology commercialization efforts. First, they must continue to invest in the process' major inputs-research. Then, they must clearly establish priorities in terms of desired outcomes and in terms of areas of research emphasis. Finally, they must create incentives for commercialization. For example, they find that shifting royalty distribution formulas in a manner that benefits researchers (as opposed to the university administration) has a profound impact on generating more invention disclosures and more technology commercialization opportunities.

To access the April 2006 Rensselaer Working Paper in Economics (No. 0609), "The Effectiveness of University Technology Transfer: Lessons Learned from Quantitative and Qualitative Research in the US and the UK," by Phillip H. Phan and Donald S. Siegel, visit http://www.economics.rpi.edu/workingpapers/rpi0609.pdf.

Colorado is Top-Rated in the Kaufman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity State Report 2005
Colorado ranks second (after Vermont) in the Kaufman Foundation's state entrepreneurial activity index based on 2005 data.Colorado's entrepreneurial index (defined as the percent of non-business owning adults who start a business each month) is 530/100,000 compared to the national average of .29%. In 2004 Colorado ranked sixth with an index of .35%. While the measure of activity declined slightly nationwide from 2004 to 2005, Colorado showed the largest gain.

External Resources

In Search of the Next Silicon Valley - Boulder, CO?
Could you reproduce Silicon Valley elsewhere, or is there something unique about it?It wouldn't be surprising if it were hard to reproduce in other countries, because you couldn't reproduce it in most of the US either. What does it take to make a silicon valley even here?

Academic Patenting vs. Industry Patenting: The Case of Biotechnology
This paper compares corporate and academic patents in order to test whether the sectors apply for patents with similar values and similar determinants of value. The determinants of patent value are mainly related to the identification of institutional sources of knowledge. The policy implications suggested by the results are the positive impact of collaborative R&D, and the need to focus on researchers with a high scientific profile in terms of publications in order to crystallize their scientific expertise -or tacit knowledge- into high value patents, according to the authors.

Parting Quotes

Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship... the act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth. Peter Drucker (1909 - 2005), Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 1985