Technology Transfer Outcomes
February 27, 2014
Research Retreat
Kelly B. Sexton, Ph.D.
Director
O f f i c e o f Te c h n o l o g y T r a n s f e r
North Carolina State University © 2014
Office of Technology Transfer
Who, What, and Why
 Who? A team of customer service oriented professionals that have broad
expertise in business development, patent law, and research.
 What? A service organization providing technology development and
intellectual property support to NC State employees.
 Why? Successful Technology Transfer:
 Raises the visibility of University research, facilities and expertise
 Creates new funding opportunities through strengthened ties with industry
 Helps recruit and retain faculty interested in seeing their research


translated into products
Stimulates economic development: new products, new companies, new
jobs
Benefits the public
NC State IP by the Numbers – 1984 to Date
3,400+ Invention
Disclosures
Licensing Team
1,445
U.S. Patent
Applications
USPTO
U.S.Patents
837(271 pending)
EXISTING
COMPANIES
*FY09 – FY13
 1,594 Licenses
 855 Licensees
 439 Products to Market
 $25.6M in licensing revenue*
STARTUPS & SPIN-OFFS
 100+ Startups & Spin-offs
 98 Licenses
 $1.5B in Venture Capital
 16 Products to Market
 7,000+ Jobs
 $2.8M in licensing revenue*
Over the last 5 years, 53% of NC
State patents licensed compared
to an estimated 5% nationally.
Source: “Universities struggle to make patents pay.”
Nature News. September 24th, 2013.
North Carolina State University © 2014
Accelerating Impact:
Technology Transfer Activity
FY 2013
5 Year Average*
Invention Disclosures
238
168
Patents Issued
117
80
U.S. Patents Filed
145
137
Commercialization Agreements
111
80
8
6
$6.8M
$5.0M
Startups
Licensing Revenue
North Carolina State University © 2014
*(FY08 – FY12)
Top 10 Universities without Medical Schools in
Technology Transfer Metrics (FY 2012)
Invention Disclosures Received
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
License Revenue
$0
700
MIT
MIT
GA Tech
Princeton University
Purdue Research Fdn.
CalTech
CalTech
Carnegie Mellon University
NC
NC State
State
University of Houston
Arizona State University
Iowa State University
Johns Hopkins, APL
University of Oregon
University of Georgia
University of Georgia
Rutgers The State Univ. of NJ
NC State
Carnegie Mellon University
Rutgers The State Univ. of NJ
50
100
150
200
0
250
MIT
University of Georgia
CalTech
GA Tech
GA Tech
Oregon State University
Purdue Research Fdn.
MIT
Rice University
Arizona State University
NC
NC State
State
Purdue Research Fdn.
Rutgers The State Univ. of NJ
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Georgia
North Dakota State University
New Jersey Inst. of Technology
Rutgers The State Univ. of NJ
Princeton University
NC State
North Carolina State University © 2014
Millions
$150
$100
Licenses and Options Executed
US Patents Issued
0
$50
S o u r c e : A U T M S u r v e y, F Y 2 0 1 2
50
100
150
200
250
Startups Based on NC State Technology
North Carolina State University © 2014
NC State Innovation and
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Arts
Entrepreneurship
Engineering
Entrepreneurship
Social
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Initiative
Business
Entrepreneurship
Student
Companies
Office of
Technology
Transfer
Existing
Companies
Chancellor’s
Innovation
Fund
Startups
Faculty,
Grad Student,
Postdoc &
Staff Inventors
TEC
North Carolina State University © 2014
Office of Technology Transfer
New Initiatives
 OTT Venture Development program
 Increasing the impact of our startups
 Blackstone Entrepreneur’s Network
 NC State, UNC-CH, NCCU, Duke, CED
 Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and Student
Fellows
 HQ Raleigh Agreement
 Co-working space and mentoring
North Carolina State University © 2014
Office of Technology Transfer
New Initiatives
Bridging the Gap from Research to Commercialization
Chancellor’s Innovation Fund (since 2010)
 17 projects funded (up to $75K)
 5 commercialization agreements
 2 startups
 $3.5M in external development funds
 $250K in license revenue
 Software Incubation
 Building on our unique capabilities
as a land grant institution by
digitizing and commercializing
subject matter expertise
North Carolina State University © 2014
New Industry Partnership Model
Impact through Industry Collaboration
 Initiated and managed by cross-functional team
 Dedicated account manager
 Master Research and IP Agreements
 Reduce uncertainty related to licensing inventions through preset terms
 Research Engagement Fee (10% of funding)
 Company manages IP protection
 Royalties incoming after significant commercial threshold is met
 University retains publication rights and non-exclusive license for
research and educational purposes
North Carolina State University © 2014
Licensing Success
SmartFreshTM
 Ethylene inhibiting technology to extend fruit and vegetable
shelf life.
 Exclusive License to Dow



150+ Jobs Created
$20+ Million in revenue generation for NC State
Improved Customer Product
North Carolina State University © 2014
Plant Variety Success
Covington Sweet Potatoes
 Variety released by
NC State in 2005
 Accounts for 90% of
sweet potatoes
grown in North
Carolina, and 20%
nationally
 #1 sweet potato
exported out of US
North Carolina State University © 2014
North Carolina State University © 2013