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News and Events > CU Charts New Direction with Tech Transfer Strategic Plan - June 18, 2002

CU Charts New Direction with Tech Transfer Strategic Plan - June 18, 2002

BOULDER, CO--The University of Colorado issued today (Tuesday, June 18, 2002) the first strategic plan for technology transfer in the university's history, according to David N. Allen, assistant vice president for CU's technology transfer office.

Technology transfer is the process by which the results and knowledge gained from faculty research are transformed into new products and services, according to Allen.

"CU-created technology needs to be out and about in the marketplace, and this new plan is going to help us do it," said Jack Burns, CU's vice president for academic affairs and research.

"For a major research university like CU, ties to the business community are important because they generate needed resources," Burns added. "When we transfer the technology created from our world-class research enterprise to the general public through commercialization of CU patents and inventions, everyone benefits."

Burns said that prior to 1980, fewer than 250 patents were issued to American universities, however, in 2000, new patents issued to U.S. universities increased to 3,764 and 4,362 new license and option agreements were signed.

Allen explained that CU's new technology transfer plan could be summed up in one word: competitiveness.

"The competition for research funding is intense, and by succeeding in technology transfer, we will become more competitive for grant awards and contracts," he said. "An enhanced technology transfer operation will enable CU to be more competitive recruiting and retaining faculty, and enable us to be more competitive when we are recruiting students, who are technology hungry."

Allen outlined five key elements in CU's technology transfer plan:

  • increase the number of CU faculty inventions,
  • improve CU's licensing practices,
  • establish more responsive policies for intellectual property,
  • ensure high quality service to internal and external communities,
  • enhance communications from the tech transfer office.

Referring to the university's past track record in technology transfer, Allen said, "The history of CU's technology transfer operation is not our destiny. We are taking a new overall approach to building responsive relationships with our faculty-inventors and the business community."

Juan A. Rodriguez, co-founder of StorageTek and Exabyte, said "The university's technology transfer office will become a vital entity for the future of CU's research enterprise."

Rodriguez added, "CU's new thrust would eventually result in wealth creation for the individuals involved, and economic development for the state of Colorado."

Allen is looking at a 12-month timeframe in which he expects to see a rapidly increasing pace of growth for CU's technology transfer operation.

According to Allen, a new Web site for CU's technology transfer operation contains information for both the business and academic communities on how to work with the technology transfer office. The Web address is: www.cu.edu/techtransfer. Allen can also be reached directly at 303.735.3711.

The University of Colorado is a four-campus system with three general campuses in Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs, and a Health Sciences Center campus located in Denver and at the former Fitzsimons Army Base in Aurora. For further information, please contact Bob Nero or Michele McKinney in the CU System Office of Institutional Relations at 303.492.6206.