USC Engineering Technology Transfer Center Southern Technology Applications Center

1. Information Technology at the US RTTCs: The Infrastructure Behind the Value Presented at Technology 2009, Miami, Florida by: Martin Zeller, USC ETTC and Debra Mills, STAC Date: November 3, 1999 USC Engineering Technology Transfer Center Southern Technology Applications Center The NASA Far West Regional Technology Transfer Center The NASA Southeast Regional Technology Transfer Center http://www.usc.edu/go/ttc http://www.4stac.org

2. NASA’s Technology Plan • NASA’s Technology Plan (1998) states that technology activities will: • Support technology development within industry, academia, and NASA • Utilize competitively selected contracts and grants, unsolicited contracts or grants, and inhouse efforts • Continue a proactive program to identify and exploit this rich source of new technologies with many commercial opportunities Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

3. NASA’s Commercial Technology Network • NASA considers technology transfer and commercialization to be a primary agency mission and a part of its overall technology plan in all agency enterprises. NASA’s Commercial Technology Network consists of: • Center-based Commercial Technology Offices • Regional Technology Transfer Centers (RTTCs) • Commercial Technology Incubators • National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC) • NASA Commercial Technology Management Team • An electronic network - NASATechTracS/ NCTMT management intranet Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

4. The US RTTC Network Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC) Great Lakes Industrial Technology Center (GLITeC) Mid-Atlantic Technology Applications Center (MTAC) USC Engineering Technology Transfer Center (ETTC) Southern Technology Applications Center (STAC) Mid-Continent Technology Transfer Center (MCTTC) Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

5. The Technology Commercialization Gulf Commercial Technology Users (Technology Consumers) Technology Resource Base (Technology Sources) Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

6. Why the Gulf? • NASA lacks: • Knowledge of industry needs • Knowledge of commercial markets / products • Resources and/or mandate to support commercialization of a technology once an industrial company has decided to adopt it • Industry often lacks: • Knowledge of available NASA technologies • Market research and opportunity analysis • Access to capital and strategic partnering opportunities Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

7. RTTCs Bridge the Gulf The US RTTC network Commercial Technology Users (Technology Consumers) Technology Resource Base (Technology Sources) Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

8. What’s on that Bridge for NASA? • RTTC Services to Support the Technology Sources: • Technology Commercialization Analysis - CAP Studies • Generation of qualified leads for technology development partnerships and patent licensing • Promotion of available technologies and partnership opportunities (web sites, Technology Opportunity Sheets and other marketing materials, industry trade shows) Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

9. What’s on that Bridge for Industry? • RTTC Services to Support Technology Consumers: • Identification of relevant technology • Basic market research and analysis • Technology Commercialization Analysis - CAP Studies • Commercialization planning • Locating and qualifying potential strategic partners • Connecting with sources of capital Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

10. RTTC Information Services and IT • Crucial infrastructure for RTTC services • Secondary information search and retrieval: access to thousands of electronic information sources (Online databases, CD-ROM, WWW) • Commercial Assessment Process Tools (web- based tools for analysis of market acceptance, in-depth market research and valuation of commercial potential of technology) • Web sites, marketing materials and electronic communication capabilities Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

11. IT Contribution to RTTC Services Services to Technology Consumers Services to Technology Sources Information search and retrieval Lead Generation & Qualification Technology Identification Market Research CAP Tools Technology Commercialization Analyses (CAP) Strategic partner identification Capital sourcing Web sites, marketing materials, electronic communication capabilities Technology Promotion Commercialization Planning Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999 Technology Commercialization Analyses (CAP)

12. Case Study • Technology commercialization analysis for SBIR phase II winner • RTTC used electronic marketing tools developed for CAP process to assess market acceptance of company’s heat sink technology • As a result of feedback received, joint venture candidates emerged (manufacturing, licensing) • RTTC analysis enabled SBIR company to understand manufacturing costs and set product price points • RTTC effort uncovered competitive relationship with SBIR company’s primary supplier of materials • Customer now has developed strategic relationship with supplier to make, market and distribute products Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

13. Case Study • Assistance in preparation of venture capital pitch • RTTC used electronic resources to research potential markets and competition for resource management software product for ISPs • RTTC helped customer integrate key industry data into presentation format suitable for attracting capital funding • RTTC coached customer in effective delivery of a persuasive pitch • RTTC accompanied customer to meeting with small group of VCs • Customer pitch resulted in request by VCs for full business plan and further discussions Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

14. Case Study • Preparation of commercialization plan for SBIR phase II proposal • RTTC used online databases and WWW to gather secondary market information on thermal barrier coatings for turbine engines • RTTC analysis of secondary information revealed key insights on overall market size, competition, and commercial opportunity • RTTC prepared commercialization plan highlighting key findings of secondary information analysis and in accordance with agency guidelines • Completed plan delivered to SBIR customer ready for inclusion in phase II proposal Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

15. Case Study • Lead Generation for NASA technology for NOX emission control • RTTC worked with NASA KSC to identify potential licensees as companies emitting NOX • RTTC obtained the database of environmental pollution permits for the state and identified significant polluters • RTTC identified contact names and mailing addresses for companies identified Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

16. Case Study • Commercialization Planning for NASA-licensed technology • RTTC performed analysis of particle monitoring technology identified for clean rooms • RTTC identified additional applications for particle monitoring technology in the automotive industry • RTTC identified industry contacts to assist manufacturer in developing final specifications for new application • Completed market analysis included potential contacts and market size for all applications Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

17. Case Study • Commercial Assessment of Helicopter Obstacle Avoidance Technology • RTTC evaluated current technologies for Obstacle Avoidance for military and civilian helicopters by reviewing literature, company advertisements, and technology announcements • RTTC evaluated industry need for improved avoidance technologies by identifying accident rates, value of equipment lost, and value of accident avoidance • RTTC surveyed current literature and industry contacts to identify potential specifications for obstacle avoidance systems • Provided assessment to client that indicated feasibility of pursuing development of this technology Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999

18. RTTC Contact Information Far West RegionMid West Region USC Engineering Technology Transfer Center Great Lakes Industrial Technology Center (USC ETTC) (GLITEC) 3716 S. Hope St., #200 25000 Great Northern Corporate Center Los Angeles, CA 90007 Cleveland, OH 44070 http://www.usc.edu/go/ttc http://www.battelle.org/glitec Mid-Atlantic Region Southeast Region Mid-Atlantic Technology Applications Center Southern Technology Applications Center (MTAC) (STAC) 3400 Forbes Ave., 5th Floor 1900 SW 34th Street, Suite 206 Pittsburgh, PA 15260 Gainesville, FL 32608 http://oracle.mtac.pitt.edu http://www.4stac.org Northeast Region Mid-Continent Region Center for Technology Commercialization Mid-Continent Technology Transfer Center (CTC) (MCTTC) 1400 Computer Drive Texas Engineering Extension Service Westborough, MA 01581 Technology & Economic Development Div. http://www.ctc.org College Station, TX 77843 http://www.tedd.org/MCTTC To reach the RTTC in your region, dial 800-472-6785 Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999