About

Our Organization

U-M Tech Transfer is the University unit responsible for the commercialization of University research discoveries and reports to the U-M Office of Research. We enhance these research discoveries to encourage licensing and broad deployment with existing businesses and newly-formed U-M start-ups. U-M Tech Transfer has earned a reputation for performance among the top 10 of all universities.

Our Mission

Our mission is to effectively transfer University technologies to the market so as to generate benefits for the University, the community and the general public.

What We Do

Our tech transfer team offers a full set of services to ensure effective technology transfer:

• Invention Reporting Facilitation – We work with researchers and faculty to provide advice about potential tech transfer issues during research activities and to assist in the invention reporting process.
• Patenting and Other Protections – We provide guidance in planning an effective patent, copyright, or trademark strategy and handle all implementation details during the protection stage.
• Start-up Assistance – We provide proactive assistance in analyzing potential opportunities to form a start-up based upon U-M technology and encourage this interaction during the early invention reporting process. Our skilled New Business Formation Staff also provides hands-on business assistance, project planning and links to funding and people resources.
• Licensing – We assist in technical and market assessments and actively market U-M technologies to industry partners. We create secrecy, evaluation, material transfer, option and license agreements with these industry partners to effectively get our technology into commercial use.
• Legal Support – Our two tech transfer staff attorneys, in partnering with the Office of the General Counsel, provide legal guidance and assistance for all of our activities.
• Decision Support – Our business and administrative staff provide information and guidance to conduct our business and expedite decisions by internal and external partners. We also advise interested parties on U-M policies & procedures including conflict of interest issues.

Benefits of U-M Tech Transfer

• Results of University research are deployed to improve our quality of life.
• Commercialization efforts often lead to expanded university research opportunities.
• Activities lead to valuable educational experiences for students which augment classroom teachings.
• Technology commercialization creates job opportunities for graduates, and positive economic development for the community, the state and the general public.