The commercialization process

Research Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilization helps UVic researchers and inventors maximize the potential of their discoveries.

Partnerships with industry

We specialize in the commercialization of IP (transfer and protection of intellectual property) and the development of research partnerships to reach common goals.

When an innovation is developed at UVic, there are a number of ways to “transfer” the innovation to the private or public sector and our office is dedicated to customizing our approach to fit the needs of each individual faculty member. Some of the more common avenues of commercialization include:

Licenses

Licensing a university-developed innovation to an experienced partner is one of the most popular ways to transfer technologies from campus to community. Our office has extensive experience in evaluating technologies, identifying potential licensees, and negotiating licenses that are fair to the inventors, the university and the licensee. One of the main jobs of our Industry Liaison Officers is to assist faculty with negotiating license agreements and option agreements with industrial partners. We help evaluate the intellectual property being licensed or optioned and adhere to the ethics standards set out by the Licensing Executives Society, Association of University Technology Managers and the National Academies of Science.

Research partnerships

In many situations there is a clear benefit to involving experienced industry partners before the technology reaches the license stage. Industry partners can provide advice and resources to make sure that early-stage projects are on the right track to become commercially viable.

Our office can help you identify research partners and work with you to form beneficial relationships to help advance your research projects.

Spin-off companies

Marketing a technology or innovation through a spin-off company is another method of transferring innovations from the university to the private sector and--like any business venture--there are benefits and risks to this approach. Spin off companies are more likely to be successful when:

  • a solid team with a mix of technical and business expertise is put together
  • the team members work well together, and have the same vision for how to operate the company
  • the innovation or technology is “platform” in nature, meaning many products or services are possible as a result of the innovation
  • there is a clear and identified market need for the product or service Our staff can help you decide if a spin-off company is the right fit for your specific situation.