The Focused Guide to Technology Transfer (“The Focused Guide”) is a series of seven self-guided training courses (“Tracks”) targeting all stakeholders in the knowledge and technology transfer ecosystem:
- Tech Transfer Offices (TTOs)
- Track I “Entry-level” Tech Transfer Professionals (TTPs) (0-2 years’ experience)
- Track II “Mid-level” TTPs (2-5 years’ experience)
- Track III “Advanced-level” TTPs (5+ years’ experience)
- Track IV TTO Directors and managers
- Track V TTO Administrative staff
- Institutional leadership
- Track VI
- Government and economic development officials, community leaders
- Track VII
Originally supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), The Focused Guide was developed by three senior knowledge transfer professionals who have, collectively, over 120 years’ experience in managing the transfer of knowledge from public sector research organizations to the private sector to be developed into products for sale to the public and economic development:
- Dr. Richard Cahoon, Former Director of Technology Transfer at Cornell University;
- Mr. John Fraser, Former Director of Technology Transfer at Florida State University; and
- Dr. Ashley Stevens, Former Director of Technology Transfer at Boston University.
The Focused Guide draws on the authors’ years of experience in starting and running TTOs, as well as conducting professional development trainings, teaching for-credit courses, and mentoring newly emerging TTOs around the world. They each have lead tech transfer professional associations, consulted for government, research, and start-up groups, and have each researched and published on many aspects of knowledge and technology transfer and technology-based entrepreneurship.
The Focused Guide is intended to be a resource to emerging ecosystems seeking to implement knowledge and technology transfer and to individual public sector research institutions seeking to start TTOs and to enhance the capabilities and professionalism of their TTOs. Those very new to the profession should go through each topic section sequentially from first to last. Those with more experience may read or reference sections tailored to their needs.
How to Use this Guidebook
This Guidebook is designed to provide context and tools necessary to be an effective TTP and an enabler of the Tech Transfer process. Those very new to the profession should go through each topic section sequentially from first to last. Those with more experience may read or reference sections tailored to their needs. Sections are generally organized in a logically progressive structure, with a content summary and how it relates to the TTP’s job function.
More detailed content is provided through the links to various resources indicated. These resources and tools include PowerPoint lectures, explanatory essays, podcast interviews with experts and specialists, book chapters, as well as useful professional tools such as Invention Disclosure Forms, Agreement Templates, and instruments for technology evaluation.
Authors’ Note
In mature ecosystems, technology transfer today involves much more than its traditional roles of protecting and transferring the rights to specific pieces of intellectual property. Today, TTPs are involved in helping faculty with consulting agreements, forming collaborative research partnerships, entrepreneurship, nurturing new start-ups, raising funding and recruiting personnel for these start-ups, and so forth. In some regions, particularly Europe, this expanded role is captured by using the term “knowledge transfer” and the offices responsible for it as knowledge transfer offices or KTOs.
In The Focused Guide, we have elected to stay with the traditional terms of technology transfer and TTO, while whole-heartedly subscribing to and embracing this expanded vision of technology transfer’s role and responsibilities as being what TTOs in new ecosystems should aspire to evolve towards.