 Spring/Summer 2005 |
| |||||||||
| Cover Story Sidebar | |
|
Georgia Tech Launches New Commercialization Initiative by John Toon |
|
GEORGIA TECH has launched an aggressive new commercialization initiative designed to streamline the handling of intellectual property, accelerate the licensing of technology and make the Institute's resources more readily accessible to business and industry.
|
The new initiative, to be known as Georgia Tech Commercialization Services, will also expand the transfer of technology to Georgia companies while providing stronger marketing and management for Georgia Tech's rapidly growing intellectual property portfolio.
Stephen Fleming, a successful Atlanta investor and entrepreneur, will head up the new unit as Chief Commercialization Officer. A Georgia Tech graduate with private-sector experience at AT&T Bell Laboratories and Northern Telecom, Fleming has been a partner in two Atlanta-based venture capital firms, and has managed investments in more than 20 start-up companies.
“Better commercializing the technological innovations we develop will enable Georgia Tech to have a larger impact on the local, state and national economies,” says Provost Jean-Lou Chameau. “To accommodate continued growth in our intellectual property portfolio, we need a more effective commercialization process, one that is worthy of the kind of institution we aspire to be.”
Over the past decade, Georgia Tech's research program has more than doubled in size and the institution has set records for the number of patents filed, technologies licensed and start-up companies formed. The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), Georgia Tech's science and technology incubator, has won broad recognition for helping build the state's technology community through support of start-up companies.
|
“Our new commercialization initiative will speed the transfer of technology from Georgia Tech and make it easier for outsiders – including entrepreneurs and potential corporate partners – to work with us,” says Wayne Hodges, vice provost for Economic Development and Technology Ventures. “Moving more technology out into the community will lead to the formation of more start-up companies, create new high-paying jobs and help revitalize existing enterprises.”
According to Hodges, the new initiative will:
As chief commercialization officer, Fleming will be responsible for the complete commercialization process, including evaluation of invention disclosures, marketing of Georgia Tech intellectual property and assistance to faculty members interested in forming start-up companies.
According to a recent survey by the Association of University Technology Managers, Georgia Tech ranks first among U.S. universities in the rate of technology licenses granted to start-up companies. Overall for fiscal year 2004, Georgia Tech licensed technology to 15 start-up companies, received 35 patents, filed 277 invention disclosures and brought in $2.3 million in revenue.
For more information, contact Wayne Hodges at 404-894-5217 or wayne.hodges@edi.gatech.edu.
Contents Research Horizons GT Research News GTRI Georgia Tech
Send questions and comments regarding these pages to webadmin@edi.gatech.edu
Last updated: July 2, 2005