Example Case Study for RTTP Application (C) 2014 Kosuke Kato, All Rights Reserved A Case Study on the Management of Industry-Academia Projects for an Innovative XX Technology Being Developed at XX University First Name Last Name Position, Affiliation, Institution Japan 1. Sourcing Technology In MONTH YEAR, I began supporting the principle investigator (PI) of an innovative XX technology being developed at XX University. This technology was sourced because XXXX. This XX technology was a platform technology that could be used for applications such A, B, and C. The PI was committed to commercialization of his/her technology as YY. The initial status of this technology is described below: Marketing: Market needs, market size, and market trends were not clear. Competitive advantage: the PI assumed that the benefits of this technology were XXX. However, this assumption had not been validated. IP: A basic patent (P1) had already been applied for via the PCT. Technology Development: A prototype for TECHNOLOGY had already been developed and demonstrated at the PI’s lab. SPEC was about AAA. The PI assumed that BBB was needed to convincingly demonstrate this technology to potential customers and licensees (e.g., at trade shows). Budget: A government grant for FY YEAR– YEAR of ¥****** ($ ***** at 1 $ = ~¥100 yen) for technology development and ¥***** for marketing had already been received. This budget was enough for developing AA but not enough for BB. Organization of the R&D team: Only the PI’s lab was involved; a company partner willing to commit to commercializing the technology had not been found. 1 Example Case Study for RTTP Application (C) 2014 Kosuke Kato, All Rights Reserved 2. Market Research In MONTH YEAR, I proposed that the PI should market his technology by XXX. I made this proposal because one of my advisors at AA had told me that BBB is one of the most effective ways of marketing XXX technologies. Consequently, the PI’s technology was CCC, we attracted market interest through direct interviews with NUMBERS potential customers. The major findings of this market research were as follows: FIND ING A FIND ING B FIND ING C ..... My major roles in this market research were the following: I wrote a grant proposal for AAA. This grant enabled the PI to BBB. I conducted CCC, enabling us to identify potential customers to interview. I designed DDD, enabling our team to conduct EEE. I arranged FFF, enabling our team to GGG. 3. Supporting Intellectual Property Management and Licensing Negotiation In MONTH YEAR, only a few days before HHH the PI created an important algorithm (P2) for III that can meet the needs of end-users in the target market segment. We sent this and related inventions to the PCT along with the commitment of a governmental funding agency. Two deals, JJJ agreement and KKK agreement, were concluded with a LLL company (Company C1) at the beginning of FY YEAR. An MMM company (Company C2) also expressed interest in licensing two of the patents in FY YEAR; we negotiated with this company under an NDA. Company C2 informed us that it would like to start selling the product at the beginning of FY YEAR, after completing product development. My major roles in supporting the PI and my colleague (the IP manager) in charge of IP management and licensing were as follows: DIFFICULT PROBLEM CAUSED. SOLUTION I PROVIDED. I proposed an idea that effectively broadened the claim of the patent. For example, … I helped the PI draft a roadmap of the PI’s patent portfolio containing NNN patent applications. I also helped the IP and the IP manager write a strategy for gaining the commitment of a government funding agency. I developed OOO .... 2 Example Case Study for RTTP Application (C) 2014 Kosuke Kato, All Rights Reserved With the IP manager, I conducted licensing negotiations with the international company. I felt that the basics of the IP valuation methods I learned in the AUTM Valuation Course and the AUTM Professional Development Course in Hamamatsu helped me negotiate with the company effectively. More specifically, PPPP.... 4. Management of Sponsored Research with Companies and other Universities On the basis of the PI’s patent portfolio, the PI’s R&D projects expanded. The following NNN projects were recently initiated: In MONTH YEAR: The government sponsored a research project with Japanese company C3 to develop QQQQ. The government awarded this project about ¥XXXX. In MONTH YEAR: The government sponsored a research project with RRR, SSS, and TTT. The government awarded this project about ¥YYYY. My major roles in managing these sponsored research projects were the following: I helped .... CONTRIBUTION A CONTRIBUTION B CONTRIBUTION C ..... 5. Outcome XXXX .... Start selling, Sales Volume, License income, Satisfaction of the PI. etc. Applicant’s Supervisor: NAME POSITION AFFILIATION Signed: [Insert Your Supervisor's sign here] 3