Panel Technology Transfer and the Role of Universities

1. MIT Global Startup Workshop PanelTechnology Transfer and the Role of Universities Stephen Brown, Moderator Innovate4Growth Consulting sfbrown67@gmail.com March 24th, 2011 Second draft of slides Mar-12

2. Panel Outline • Vote for 1 of 3 ideas that could be a company • Results discussed at end of panel • How to approach the next idea for a company • Examples from Boston; Bangkok; North Carolina; and Moscow • See how success is possible in many different countries and cultures • You will have time to ask questions of the panelists at the end of their prepared remarks

3. Panelists • Maria Adamian, Director of Business Incubator at HSE, Moscow • Steve Brown, Moderator, President, Innovate4Growth • Dr. Barbara Igel, Dean, AIT School of Management, Thailand • Gary Palin, Executive Dir. of the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership

4. Choosing Ideas to Commercialize • The following three ideas were disclosed to me as ideas to be patented at MIT • Abstracted from original information supplied by the inventor at MIT • At least one of the following ideas was commercially successful Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

5. Commercializing Technologies from Universities • I want each of you in the audience to imagine that you have $100,000 that you can afford to invest • You have the following choices • You can put the money in a bank and receive 1% interest OR • You can invest all of your money in just one of the following three opportunities

6. Note • You probably won’t be familiar with all the terms in the following descriptions • Typical, of course of first exposures to new ideas that couldbe disruptive….. • Or complete failures! Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

7. Method and Apparatus for Performing Microassays • “An apparatus and method for manipulating, transporting, and analyzing a large number of microscopic samples of a liquid or of materials including cells currently or formerly in liquid suspension” • Original licensee had not develop the technology and was in financial trouble • Potential interference with another patent being pursued by another commercial organization • Inventor not interested in being the entrepreneur • Expected product – pharma research tool Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

8. Algorithm for Sparse Image Correlation • “Sparse array correlation only concerns itself with the pixels containing useful data that are sequentially correlated using a correlation error estimator (…heavy mathematics follows!...) Several orders of magnitude in increased processing speed over present techniques are typical using this new correlation process.” • Small research instrument house licenses this for particle velocimetry • Inventor wants to use it for a 3d camera • Expected product – quality control device Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

9. Method for Caching Files in Networks • “We describe a family of caching protocols for distributed networks that can be used to decrease or eliminate the occurrence of hot spots in the network. Our protocols are particularly designed for use with very large networks such as the Internet, where delays caused by hot spots can be severe, and where it is not feasible for every server to have complete information about the current state of the entire network.” • Students enter this in MIT’s Business Plan competition, the 50K • Students ask faculty to serve as advisors • Expected product – software for web servers Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

10. Your decisions? • At least one of these examples did become a successful business • Raise you hand if you would invest in 1 • Raise your hand if you would invest in 2 • Raise your hand if you would invest in 3 • Raise your hand if you would put the money in the bank Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

11. We’ll tell you what happened • After the other panelists have finished their comments!

12. What Happened to These Ideas? Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

13. What can we Learn • ASSAYS • One failure doesn’t mean the idea is bad • Don’t need venture capitalists to fund • Chance meetings drive success (incubation) • MACHINE VISION • There generally are many fields of use • Inventors idea of where it will be successful often is wrong • Young people can drive action

14. What can we Learn • Old ideas still can be commercialized • Need all the skill sets in place before launch • CACHING • Students can lead company formation • Don’t need a prototype to launch

15. What can we Learn • You can't pick winners early on • Important to take a probability focus • Focus on increasing the number of attempts to commercialize • Reduce the time to try each attempt • Reduce the cost of each attempt – time, money, reputation damage • Don’t over analyze the initial proposed product or market • They may change • Contact the marketplace as soon as possible • Revise the product, business, team when needed • Surround the inventor with people – Micro-cluster • Who have complementary skills • Different backgrounds and experiences • Who also have access to needed resources of people, ideas, and funds Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

16. Micro Clusters Support Innovation • Those around you willing to assume risks • More idea enhancersthan idea critiquers • Fewer steps to reach needed resources of people ideas and money • Perception of the cost of innovation reduced • Little transactional friction • Increased mix rate • Increased clock speed Innovate4Growth sfbrown67@gmail.com

17. Thank you for your attention and participation