December 6, 2011 | 1 The U.S. is currently home to a suite of
national laboratories that conduct cutting-edge research.
Throughout the country, this network of 17 labs (overseen by the
Department of Energy) focuses on a wide array of basic science
and engineering questions. The results of this research have
spurred innovation and technology development for more than
seven decades. And, through the technology transfer process, the
discoveries unearthed within these institutions – from low-e
window coatings to hybrid solar lighting – have the chance to
leave the research world and make significant impacts in the
marketplace. In order to move cutting edge research from labs to
markets, these research institutions agree to let their
discoveries leave the nest under technology transfer agreements.
The general process for a technology transfer from the lab to a
commercial organization is pretty straightforward: Lets take an
example - Northern California’s Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
(LBNL) recently licensed the