IU Tech Licensing Spikes

Marie Kerbeshian (photo courtesy of Indiana University)

Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now

This audio file is brought to you by

0:00

0:00

Loading audio file, please wait.

Speed
1.00

• 0.25
• 0.50
• 0.75
• 1.00
• 1.25
• 1.50
• 1.75
• 2.00

The Indiana University Research and Technology Corp. says licensing agreements over the last year have jumped more than 70 percent, compared to the previous year. IURTC Vice President of Technology Commercialization Marie Kerbeshian says many of the innovations are in "areas we haven’t traditionally looked at." The technologies and discoveries run the gamut of departments at IU from the College of Arts and Sciences to the School of Engineering and Technology.

She says software technology licenses were a non-traditional area that recorded gains over the last fiscal year.

Kerbeshian says over the years the licensing process has changed. "It’s not so much the type of technology, but the stage of technology," she said in an interview with Inside INdiana Business. "Ten, fifteen years ago, the stage of technology could be very early. It could be very, very basic research and companies would bring it into their own laboratories and develop it. Now what we’re seeing is that existing companies need to have the technology moved further along the development pathway before they’re willing to put their own efforts and funds into developing it." Because of this, she says the university and the IURTC will seek out discoveries where a funding boost "will make the difference." Another option for potential licensees is to work with faculty to launch a startup through IU’s Spin Up program.

IU 2015-2016 Licensing Results By The Numbers:

• The IURTC reports 43 completed licensing agreements, up from 25 during the previous fiscal year.
• The new licenses cover 67 technologies associated with nine offices or entities on the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses.
• Twelve were signed with startups based on IU intellectual property.
• Six were signed with startups from the Spin Up program.
• Thirty-seven were with U.S. companies, including 14 in Indiana. The rest were with companies in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Washington.
• Six were with international companies: two in the United Kingdom and one each in Belgium, Canada, South Africa and Taiwan.

Kerbeshian says the new fiscal year is off to a nice start, with 16 potential licenses already in discussion phases.

You can read more about the results by clicking here.