ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan is pleased to have been one among the 15 private or public entities to be recognized by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) at its Annual Awards Reception on Tuesday,
“The discovery of new knowledge and the creation of artistic expressions are at the heart of what makes Michigan a great university,” says Fawwaz T. Ulaby, vice president for research. “And when the discovery can be made to contribute to the public good by transferring research results into commercial products and services, the University advances its mission as a public institution. By embracing technology transfer and its associated interactions with industry, we create a supportive climate for the entrepreneurial segment of the University community and contribute to the economic advancement of the state ofMichigan.

“The University has worked hard to improve its efforts in this arena, particularly through strengthening its technology transfer operation,” says Ulaby, who accepted the MEDC award on behalf of the University.

Ulaby notes that a number of changes and improvements made over the last several years has greatly enhanced the University’s technology transfer mission. For example, two satellite offices of the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) have been created on campus in the Medical School and College of Engineering to streamline interactions with faculty and facilitateinvention disclosures. A Business Development function was added to OTT specifically to aid faculty interested in establishing businesses based on their discoveries; 20 new start-ups based on U-M discoveries were launched in the last two years, doublethe number from the previous two years. OTT has also improved its contacts with venture capital and business services that support the development of new technologies.

The University of Michigan is also one of three Michigan research universities participating in the Life Sciences Corridor Core Technology Alliance (CTA). Other Alliance members include Michigan State University, Wayne State University and the Van Andel Research Institute. The mission of the CTA is to develop a collaborative network of technologically sophisticated core facilities to enhance life sciences research and product development throughout the State of Michigan. The core facilities are envisioned as a catalyst for development of life sciences and biotechnology research and economic development by providing access to advanced technologies to Michigan researchers affiliated with universities, private research institutes and biotechnology or pharmaceutical firms.

The U-M is also involved in the Michigan Universities Commercialization Initiative, which has created a Challenge Fund to encourage the efficient and timely deployment of life science technologies from research laboratories of CTA members to the commercial arena. The fund provides funding for scale-up feasibility studies, marketing surveys, and pre-business assessments of new technologies from academic laboratories that have identifiable commercialization value.

University of Michigan Technology TransferIndicators of Progress19962001Disclosures:112182(Faculty discoveries reported to OTT for possible patenting or licensing.)Licenses:4564(Technologies provided to one or more companies for further use ordevelopment into a product or process in return for a feeand/or royalties.)Start-ups:512(New companies launched to develop a UM discovery into a product.)Revenues:(Money earned through royalties or sale of equity held by U-M aspart of a licensing agreement.)