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A new way to share our intellectual property www.easyaccessip.org.uk. What I’ll talk about. How it all started Our Fast Forward project Achievements to date Examples of deals done What we learned. How it all started.
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A new way to share our intellectual property www.easyaccessip.org.uk
What I’ll talk about How it all started Our Fast Forward project Achievements to date Examples of deals done What we learned
How it all started “We aim to transfer as much IP into usage as we can, to the benefit of our partners, community, society and economy” Way back in 2010... • Academic idea • remove the barriers to collaboration • Faster, simpler – EASIER • Changing landscape – emphasis on IMPACT • This created lots of interest and debate which lead to...
Our Fast Forward Project Easy Access Innovation Partnership A collaborative project between the University of Glasgow, King’s College London and University of Bristol to promote new ways of sharing intellectual property and to adopt new approaches which make it easier for universities and industry to work together
Our objective Our aim is to maximise partnerships with industry and ultimately, the transfer of university knowledge for public benefit
Easy Access IP In support of our principles, we’ve adopted Easy Access Intellectual Property (IP),an initiative that offers certain IP for free, using quick and simple agreements
Our values • MAXIMISE the transfer of knowledge. • It’s not all about the money! • Simple transactions and agreements. • We retain sufficient rights to pursue further research (academic and commercial) • We retain rights to publish
What the licensee agrees to Potential licensees need to tell the university how they will use the IP to benefit the economy or society There are three additional conditions: 1. Acknowledgement 2. Three year limit 3. No limitations on the university’s use of the IP for its own research
Why adopt Easy Access Innovation? • This is an opportunity for your university to be a leader in open innovation and IP management, and to reach our collective goal of disseminating our knowledge widely • It fits well within the current environment • Emphasis on KT (and requirement for KT Impact Plans) by Research Councils • Prominence of Impact within the REF methodology
Achievements • A suite of Easy Access IP contracts • Our website www.easyaccessip.org.uk • Promoted the concept effectively to industry and other research institutions • Easy Access Innovation Summit involving key opinion leaders • Developed formal linkages with ibridge
License of Software for Optical Tweezers • High speed cameras + laser beam technology = measure movement on a sub-atomic scale • Software now licensed to Hertfordshire-based Elliot Scientific and features in their Optical Tweezers Systems • The licence has led to a successful on-going collaboration with the company • “Subsequent to our excellent interaction with Prof Miles Padgett's group and our acquisition of Camera Particle Tracking (CPT) software through the Easy Access IP route, we have now show-cased this technology with our Optical Tweezer Systems at three international conventions. This has been well received and we have recently made our first sales of the product.” • Mike Elliott, Chairman of Elliott Scientific
License of the Cube • Fully functional holographic optical tweezers system and microscope • Used for manipulation of biological samples • Based on a number of third party components • Limited commercial value to the university as based significantly on other proprietary components
License of the Cube • Offered EAIP license for design rights (exclusive) and non-exclusive for software • Advantage to the licensee • time to market • access to a world leading research group • Technology licensed to Boulder Non-Linear Systems • Deal completed with 8 weeks from initial discussions • Product due to be launched with 6 months. • Company have already received pre-sales of the device
Feedback Quote from Boulder Nonlinear Systems “The process to transfer the technology required for BNS to commercialise “The Cube" started the latter part of January 2012 with the Agreement completed and signed the third week of March 2012. I have been negotiating contracts for over 25 years and I have never experienced a more streamlined and cooperative approach in negotiating an Agreement; all done with a total number of 10 pages! This is unheard of in today's environment where a similar agreement could very easily take over six months to negotiate with a document that exceeds 40 pages.” Mark Tanner, Vice President, Boulder Nonlinear systems
Benefits of our model • Increase ability to develop relationships with industry • Free access allows industry partners to evaluate IP quickly and take risks • Easier for researchers to achieve KT outcomes/impacts • Ensures university/industry relationships begin with a gesture of good will, providing a strong foundation for a long‐term relationship • Speed up transaction time We expect all IP to generate a return, however, we’re choosing to forgo an immediate, financial return to stimulate the development of IP and promote new, long‐term partnerships.
Universities provided £3.3bn worth of services to business in 2010/11 % revenue by source 2010-11 • Source data: HEBCIS
Successes – more than IP licensing • 30+ Easy Access deals completed • Increased number of enquiries from businesses – leading to wider collaboration beyond EAIP technologies • Universities changing the way they assess and manage their IP portfolio • Increasing focus on relationships over individual financial transactions • Research Groups are looking more strategically at how they manage their IP – thinking more about impact and long-term benefits.
What we learned Consider where EAIP is owned and delivered in the university EAIP is about a new way of looking at IP Academics are genuinely keen to engage It is not appropriate for all technologies at any stage of development Universities need to consider and understand their IP value proposition and prioritise accordingly