Richard J. Brenner, Ph.D. Assistant Administrator of ARS for Technology Transfer

1. Partnership Initiatives to Enhance ARS Research & Adoption of Outcomes--- Science-based Innovations for Public Benefit --- Richard J. Brenner, Ph.D. Assistant Administrator of ARS for Technology Transfer Office of Technology Transfer NACOP Workshop Norman, OK August 17-19, 2010

2. A Partnership Initiative… This is all about relationships, … building trust, … and developing efficient processes to serve… ARS Scientists … and is shaped by the issues, needs, & concerns of scientists, line, and program managers

3. Starting with some Definitions & Goals… “Partnerships” … …relationships that facilitate research and outcome-delivery with any entity outside of the Management Unit or local ARS (location / Area) research environment. Overarching goals of Partnership Initiative: • Strengthened research capabilities through partnerships • More$$ to the bench (discretionary) • More time to conduct research (e. g., reducedadministrative burdens and enhanced assistance to scientists, Unit, Location, Area) • Greater impact from research outcomes, and documenting value of investing in ARS.

4. Topics for Discussion-- uniformity & efficiency -- Overarching goals of Partnership Initiative: • Strengthenedresearch capabilities through partnerships • Nurturingour relationships with university partners • What strengths do they provide to ARS? • What unique strengths does ARS contribute? • Are we forming optimal teams of comprehensive research expertise? • To what extent can we operate uniformly & predictably across the agency?

5. Mechanisms / Partnerships to Increase Extramural Funds to ARS Bench • Competitive Grants(AFRI, SCRI, NSF, NIH, DoE, foundations) • Focused public sector partnerships on high priority areas. Some examples…. • Local / regional / urban agriculture • EPA / DoC / Dept of Labor, / DOT, DoD, HUD, NIFA • Council of Governors, Council of Mayors • Land management / sustainable environmental practices • DoE – bioenergy • Urban planning (states, counties, cities) • DoD (BRACs and current bases in operations) • DoI – Reclamation, U.S. Geologic Survey • Job Creation and Entrepreneurship in rural America • Dept. of Commerce, Economic Development, Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Small Business Administration

6. Mechanisms / Partnerships to Increase Extramural Funds to ARS Bench Focused public / private sector partnerships on high priority areas such as… • Nutrition and health (includes genomics) • Pharmaceutical corporations; NIH • Nutritional products • Asthma and allergy foundations, others… / private sector firms • Preventive medicine & preventive measures • Disease prevention / personal protection • Protecting the warfighter (repellents) • Detection technologies for emerging pathogens (plants, food animals, reservoir animals, humans)

7. Topics for Discussion-- uniformity & efficiency -- Overarching goals of Partnership Initiative: • Strengthened research capabilities through partnerships • More $$ to the bench (discretionary) • Do we adequately capture our actual costs of executing the research? (facilities?, energy?) • Other direct costs? • Are we capturing actual indirect costs? • Are we expeditiously delivering $$ to the scientists?

8. Topics for Discussion-- uniformity & efficiency -- Overarching goals of Partnership Initiative: • Strengthened research capabilities through partnerships • More $$ to the bench (discretionary) • More time to conduct research (e. g., reduced administrative burdens and enhanced assistance to scientists, Unit, Location, Area) • Capturing & relaying info on funding opportunities? Grantsmanship assistance… • Simplifying approval processes; negotiating SOW / terms & conditions of partnerships • Tracking submissions; monitoring performance

9. Topics for Discussion-- uniformity & efficiency -- Overarching goals of Partnership Initiative: • Strengthened research capabilities through partnerships • More $$ to the bench (discretionary) • More time to conduct research (e. g., reduced administrative burdens and enhanced assistance to scientists, Unit, Location, Area) • Greater impactfrom research outcomes, and documenting value of investing in ARS. • Increasing likelihood that research outcomes will be adopted by end users • Valuation of outcomes

10. Early Priorities for a “Partnerships & Innovations” Initiative in ARS • Capturing& relaying info on funding opportunities • Providing grantsmanship training and assistance in preparing all aspects of the proposal packet • Establishing partnerships through a simplified – but well coordinated -- approval process; • Coordinating SOW / terms & conditions of partnerships • Tracking submissions; monitoring performance

11. Importance of University / Private Sector Collaborators & Cross-Area Partnerships with ARS:Some FY 2009 Metrics • Licenses • Current active: 301 (316 were active during FY) --- 129 with commercial products in the market • Universities – 118 (39%) • Non-profits – 17 (6%) • Small Businesses – 105 (35%) • Foreign businesses (no U.S. presence) – 7 (2%) • Large businesses (includes foreign multinationals with major U.S. presence) –54 (18%) • CRADAs • Active 233 (during FY 2009) • Domestic companies – 217 (93%; ca. 62% small business) • Outside state of researcher – 167 (72%) • Out of ARS Area of researcher – 133 (57%)

12. CRADA Human Capital Intellectual Assets T2 Intellectual Property Model of a Public/Private Partnership for Commercialization of Research Outcomes Complementary Assets (required for federal license) Intellectual Capital Marketing & Distribution Capabilities Technical Expertise— Product Dev, Scale-up, QC Manufacturing Capacity Product Registration Expertise Fiscal Resources These can be facilitated by Partnership Intermediaries of ARS (TBED entities) linked to mission priorities Structural Assets and Financial Resources Adapted from Sullivan, P.H., Profiting From Intellectual Capital, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2000.

13. ARS Agricultural Technology Innovation Partnership Program (ATIP)

14. Concept & Strategy for Agricultural Technology Innovation Partnership Program --through Partnership Intermediary Agreements (PIA) -- To partner with selected economic development entities that can enhance the effectiveness of the ARS technology transfer program and expand its impact To enhance the flow of ARS technologies and research outcomes to small and expanding businesses and to encourage technology-based economic development To provide complementary business assets and business expertise to private sector partners of ARS

15. Goals of ARS Partnership Intermediaries Provide complementary assets to ARS Office of Technology Transfer • Guide local / regional business with research needs to the appropriate ARS scientist across ARS (CRADA opportunities) • Triage business plans of private sector to seek “winners” as candidates for licensing / research partnerships with ARS • Acquire marketing assessments on ARS technologies from 3rd party sources (business schools, entrepreneur programs, angel investors, etc.) for targeted marketing • Coordinate “Technology Showcase” events to facilitate partnerships with private sector companies (TEDCO, October 30, 2008 – Four Points Sheraton at BWI)

16. Goals of ARS Partnership Intermediaries Provide complementary assets needed by private sector to succeed in commercializing federal inventions • Assist in accessing public / private funds • SBIR proposals • Angel investors / state funds • Manufacturing capacity • Manage their own seed/venture funds or networks to support CRADA and license partners of ARS • Assistin problem solving manufacturing capacity • Network with other ATIP members and other federal PIA networks.

17. Building the ATIP Program Envisioned as providing an efficient networkfor ARS with each member serving as a conduit to a greater number of local, regional (e.g., county), or state entities, including venture capitalists and angel investors. Because of the need for regional access to private sector companies and resources for sustained economic development, ATIP is likely to have optimal effectiveness with at least 8 PIA partners, strategically distributed across the country in partnership with each Area.

18. Agricultural Technology Innovation Partnership Network

19. Early Success from ATIP (TEDCO) … Rice-based frying batter, “Choice Batter” gluten free, absorbs 50% less oil (Fred Shih, New Orleans, LA) • CrispTek, LLC • TEDCO-facilitated marketing plan • ARS Licensed 4 April 2008 • TEDCO support October 2008 (MTTCF) • First sale, 3 May 2009 • Internet sales; 300 stores; 3 food companies

20. Leveraging the Assets of Partnership Intermediaries of ARS

21. The Innovation Ecosystem to Promote Technology Transfer from USDA ATIP is uniquely positioned to serve Secretary Vilsack in supporting goals of other USDA agencies as well as other federal Departments with common interests, thereby reflecting a leadership role of USDA in the Executive Branch • Local / regional agriculture production (know your farmer, know your food) • Bioenergy and opportunities for entrepreneurs to create wealth in rural communities • Food security (national / international; emerging zoonotic / plant diseases) • Food safety • Nutrition and childhood obesity

22. The Innovation Ecosystem to Promote Technology Transfer from USDA The White House Innovation & Entrepreneurship working group has recognized ATIP as a “…novel and impressive federal model…” for facilitating commercialization of technologies from federal labs Seeking ways to promote innovation and job creation using existing authorities and appropriations • E.g., SBIR and proposed SBIR-TT model • Regional / virtual proof of concept centers • Cross-sector partnerships ATIP members (10) convened their inaugural workshop 21 June 2010 to begin formulating strategies to address some of Secretary Vilsack’s priorities consistent with ARS mission ATIP was joined on 22 June 2010by the comparable national intermediary network of DoD(7 members) to identify and address areas of common interest to DoD and USDA (supporting Sec. Vilsack’s goals)

23. DoD PIA Network Members

24. A Joint Workshop of Members of the USDA ARS Agricultural Technology Innovation Partnership (ATIP) Program, and Members of DoD’s Office of Technology Transition Partnership Intermediary Network (OTTPIN) June 21, 2010 Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (ATIP members) June 22, 2010 Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (ATIP & OTTPIN members)

25. A USDA / DoD Partnership… ARS ATIP and DoD’s OTTPIN reached agreement to formalize interactions to createa new model to facilitate public/private partnerships for sustainable economic development and to address common interests of DoD and USDA. Example projects may include: • Local / regional food production in cities and DoD installations • Distributed bioenergy production from biomass • Zoonotics & emerging diseases • Health & nutrition of DoD personnel and dependents

27. Showcases to Highlight Research Outcomes and Capabilities Hosted by Intermediaries (ATIP) each geographically convened, and each themed to one of the five priorities • Climate Change (mitigation & adaptation) • Bioenergy(sustainability & economic viability) • Nutrition and Health (nutritious & convenient) • Food Safety (reduce pathogens through detection & suppression) • International Food Security(sustainable, efficient, local)

28. This is all about relationships… …and building trust institutions University Research partners Private Sector Nurturing relationships Granting / funding agencies ARS Scientists Federal R&D partners Line management Program management Administrative management

29. Photo: Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, MD (Joann Perkins) The Office of Technology Transfer …. … promoting the adoption of ARS research outcomes Richard J. Brenner, Ph.D. Assistant Administrator Office of Technology Transfer 5601 Sunnyside Ave Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 504-6905 http://www.ars.usda.gov/Business/Business.htm

30. The Innovation Ecosystem to Promote Technology Transfer from USDA The Agricultural Technology Innovation Partnership program (ATIP) is a network of intermediaries established by ARS to fast-track adoption by the private sector of research outcomes (science-based innovations) to facilitate sustainable economic development • Members are accomplished economic development organizations, commodity independent, and geographically strategic • Strong links to universities, state/local governments, multiple federal agencies • Provide complementary assets needed for businesses to succeed domestically, compete globally, while furthering the innovation initiative of the Administration and key specific priorities of the Secretary of Agriculture