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ARCHIVED - March 2007 - Volume 7/Issue 3

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FPTT News

FPTT News is a monthly e-publication of news, events, training opportunities, links and information related to technology transfer and commercialization. We encourage you to share the newsletter or items of interest with your friends and colleagues. Please send us your news, events or other items of interest.

Subscribe to FPTT News today!

In this issue

Feature of the Month

FPTT 2007 Awards Ceremony and Banquet – Join us for the FPTT 2007 Awards Ceremony and Banquet on June 12, 2007 in Halifax. Once again the Federal Partners in Technology Transfer (FPTT) Awards Program will honour the federal government's leaders in technology transfer and the successful transfer of federal research to those who can best exploit it.

For more details on the FPTT 2007 Awards Ceremony and Banquet and to register, please go to: http://www.fptt-pftt.gc.ca/eng/success/awards/index.html.

For more details on the FPTT Awards Program - please go to:  http://www.fptt-pftt.gc.ca/eng/success/awards/index.html.  

News and Information

  • Finalists for the World's Best Technologies Showcase in Arlington, Texas in May 2007 – The review committee of the World's Best Technologies Showcase have decided upon the 93 best new pre-commercial, platform technologies to be presented before approximately 200 venture capitalists, Fortune 500 firms and other strategic partners, in Arlington Texas, on May 15-16, 2007. The full list of chosen technologies can be found at www.wbtshowcase.com, and includes winning entries from the US, Canada, Australia, Chile, Spain and Israel. 

    As you know, many have lobbied hard for Canadian technologies to apply to enter the program and we are delighted to inform you that 10 1/2 Canadian technologies have been selected for presentation after the mentoring period.

    The Canadians selected are as follows: 

    1. CG2 NanoCoatings Inc (Ottawa)

    Energy related nanotechnology

    2. Gestion Univalor (University of Montreal)

    Software

    3. McMaster University (Hamilton)

    Semiconductors

    4. NRC (Vancouver)

    Energy

    5. Penguin Automates Systems (Toronto) (Ontario Centres of Excellence + Fednor)

    Communications

    6. Ptitdej/Univalor (University of Montreal)

    Medical Devices

    7. Silk Displays (Montreal) (+ NRC)

    Advanced Materials

    8. Sonic Environmental Solutions (Vancouver)

    Environmental

    9. Univalor & NRC (Montreal)

    Software

    10. Laval University (Quebec) (+ NRC)

    Advanced Materials

    10½. Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto) + Wayne State (Joint submission)

    Pharmaceutical

    (credit: David C Dix, Consul & Trade Commissioner (Science & Technology), Canadian Consulate General)

  • Opportunity identified by the Canadian Government Trade Office in Princeton – The Canadian Government Trade Office in Princeton, New Jersey has been working with the many multinational pharmaceutical companies located in the tri state area. Most all of the big pharma companies have corporate or North American headquarters in the tri state area which permits establishing relationships with key contacts at those companies. The Trade office can help make connections to big pharma to assist you in developing relationships leading to partnerships with big pharma. The attached report covers some of the areas of interest that Bristol-Myers Squibb have identified. If you are seeking to partner with big pharma and want a little help getting to decision makers feel free to contact Tab Borden in the Princeton office by email (tab.borden@international.gc.ca) or by phone (609-333-9940).
  • Patent Office launches consultation on the modernisation of patent rules – The UK Patent Office (which will change its name to UK Intellectual Property Office on April 2nd) has launched a consultation on a complete modernisation of the 1995 Patent Rules Act. This legislation is the main secondary act under the 1977 Patent Act and it establishes the procedural and administrative rules to deal with patent applications. The idea for its comprehensive modernisation was introduced in 2005.

    The consultation document published recently by the UK Patent Office includes the full text of the proposed modernisation. Most significant changes cover the new, more understandable act structure, the simplified rules on litigation procedure at the Office and the addition and abolition of some forms.

    Interested parties are invited to analyse the proposed rules and to send their comments before 5th June 2007. Find out more.
  • Research on International Scientific Collaborations Involving Canada – The National Research Council of Canada (Industrial Research Assistance Program) is conducting research on international scientific collaborations (ISCs) involving Canada, via a multi-country survey.

    The focus of the research is on international scientific collaborations (ISCs) involving a Canadian or foreign government laboratory and under a formal agreement (specific projects as opposed to informal exchange of information or personnel). Collaborators can be government laboratories, universities, research centres, and/or the private sector. 

    Essentially, the research is attempting to answer the following:
    1. What desired benefits drive the formation of large-scale ISCs among government research laboratories in Canada and abroad?
    2. What are the desired characteristics of international partners in such collaborations?
    3. What is the attractiveness of Canada compared to other countries as a scientific partner in ISCs?
    4. What is the nature and extent of benefits and outcomes from ISCs?
    5. What are the relationships between the selection of scientific collaborators, the quality and effectiveness of the collaboration and the outcomes from the collaboration?

    NRC-IRAP would be grateful if you would be willing to take a few minutes to fill in the following survey online: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB2266LGWP6D3. 

    If the survey could be completed by mid-April, that would be very appreciated. If you would like further information, or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the research lead, Diane Isabelle by email (diane.isabelle@nrc.gc.ca ). If you are interested, NRC-IRAP will happily share with you a summary of the results. Many thanks in advance for your input into this research.

  • The UK Patent Office will offer IP check ups for SMEs – As a follow up response to the Gowers Report, the British Science and Innovation Minister recently announced that the UK Patent Office will offer intellectual property audits for SMEs. The project is part of a new Innovation Support Strategy published by the Patent Office to help UK businesses recognize, protect and maximize the value of their IP assets. In addition, other initiatives will help UK businesses market creative products and services abroad, particularly in fast growing economies like China, India and Brazil, with clear, simple guidance on how to register and enforce IPRs. It will also allow the development of strategies with an analysis of technological trends based on patent information. In the same vein, the French Patent Office has also started to offer these kinds of services to businesses. Find out more.

Recommended Articles, Books, Papers and Reports

Articles

  • “Best Practice in Intellectual Property Management” , The EPPIC eye 2004

    This booklet describes some best practice in protection and exploitation of IP, including IP in joint developments, pricing and business models. Read booklet

  • Ackerman, P. and Slate, P “Integrated IP management technologies: the means to more ends” , From Innovation to Commercialization 2007, a supplement to Intellectual Asset Management magazine, pp.31-34.

    Arizona Technology Enterprises (AzTE) is a good example of a technology transfer organization that has brought well-defined processes, an alignment of goals at every step along the value chain from idea conception to commercialization, and the implementation of smart technologies that support better strategic insight and economies of scale, and which might benefit further from an integration of the technology tools it uses. 

  • COSTLOW, T. “Making Sense of Intellectual Property” , Design News, December 2006 More companies now patent technology not for production, but to market the IP. In this article, Costlow talks about the IP Auction, organized by Ocean Tomo Read article
  • Geary, S. and Bawden, P. “Intellectual property – a strategic asset and a strategic threat” , From Innovation to Commercialization 2007, a supplement to Intellectual Asset Management magazine, pp.14-18. Intellectual property – and its effective generation, exploitation and management throughout the world – is often the lifeblood of an enterprise, especially in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. One person's right is nonetheless another's restriction and the threat of competitive IP may present a looming specter ready to erode business value.
  • O'Shea, R., Allen, T., Morse, K., O'Gorman, and Roche, F. “Delineating the anatomy of an entrepreneurial university: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology experience” , R&D Management, v.37, n.1, pp.1-16.

    In many universities, heads, administrators and faculty seek to increase the propensity to engage in commercialization of research activity through the spinoff of new companies. The highly complex mechanism of spinoff generation is typically considered the result of either the characteristics of individuals, organizational policies and structures, organizational culture, or the external environment. Explanations of spinoff activity have in the main focused on only one of these dimension at a time. In this paper, the authors integrate these four dimensions of academic entrepreneurship to develop a more systemic understanding of spinoff activity at the university level.

  • TEITELBAUM, R. and COHEN, M. “The keys to building a strong patent portfolio” , From Innovation to Commercialization 2007, a supplement to Intellectual Asset Management magazine, pp.50-53.

    Patents are a cornerstone for any technology-based business. A patent portfolio should provide sufficient coverage to practice a technology and should provide a sufficient defence and a good offensive position regarding the product, in order to provide a competitive advantage in an environment where battle lines are readily drawn.

Reports and Papers

  • “Free Online WIPO Publications”

    — three important priced publications are now available free of charge online:

    • Marketing Crafts and Visual Arts: The Role of Intellectual Property: A Practical Guide. Download guide.
    • Secrets of Intellectual Property: A Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Exporters. Download guide.
    • Exchanging Value: Negotiating Technology Licensing Agreements: A Training Manual. Download manual.
  • “In the Public Interest: Nine Points to Consider in Licensing University Technology”

    White Paper signed by the California Institute of Technology, Cornell University, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, University of Illinois - Chicago, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, University of Washington and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

    The paper suggests the following nine points:

    1. Universities should reserve the right to practice licensed inventions, and to allow other nonprofit and governmental organizations to do so;
    2. Exclusive licenses should be structured in a manner that encourages technology development and use;
    3. Strive to minimize the licensing of "future improvements;"
    4. Universities should anticipate and help to manage tech-transfer-related conflicts of interest;
    5. Ensure broad access to research tools;
    6. Enforcement action should be carefully considered;
    7. Be mindful of export regulations;
    8. Be mindful of the implications of working with patent aggregators; and
    9. Consider including provisions that address unmet needs, such as those of neglected patient populations or geographic areas, giving particular attention to improved therapeutics, diagnostics, and agricultural technologies for the developing world.

    Download White Paper.

    (credit: Scott Ferguson, National Research Council Canada)

  • “TRIPS – The Basic Principles” , IPR Helpdesk, March 2007 Before going into the field where TRIPS provisions shape the substance of various categories of IP rights it is useful to present the basic principles, which clearly exhibit TRIPS' connection to the international trade regime. There are two principles that influence the interpretation and application of TRIPS and that must be mentioned here: the principle of national treatment and the most favoured nation principle. Read guide
  • Coffman, B. “Building the Innovation Culture: Some Notes on Adaptation and Change in Network-Centric Organizations” , InnovationLabs

    The approach described in this paper focuses on encouraging a    distributed network to form inside the organization that takes on the role of much of the innovation work. Individuals connected to the network generate their own ideas, conduct experiments, log the results, build support, and help transition some of the ideas to formal pilots or direct implementation. The network employs features from several different morphologies and uses some principles from natural selection to recombine and improve ideas throughout the process. Read report

  • CRESPI, G.A., GEUNA, A. and VERSPAGEN, B. “University IPRs and Knowledge Transfer. Is the IPR ownership model more efficient?” , University of Sussex, Science and Technology Policy Research (SPRU), SPRU Electronic Working Paper Series, Paper No. 154, December 2006. This paper contributes to the current debate on university patents and knowledge transfer at two levels. First the authors present the results of the comparison of European and US academic patenting systems, and show that the common perception that Europe is lagging behind the US in terms of university patenting is far from being correct. Second, the authors develop an assessment of the efficiency of the academic IPR ownership model. Specifically, the authors assess whether university-owned patents in Europe are more often applied, and/or more economically valuable, than patents that result from university research but are not owned by universities (university-invented). Read paper
  • Freeman, C. and Soete, L “Developing science, technology and innovation indicators: what we can learn from the past” , United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology, January 2007, Working Paper Series #2007-001. The science-technology-innovation system is one that is continuously and rapidly evolving. The dramatic growth over the last twenty years in the use of science, technology and innovation (STI) indicators appears first and foremost the result of a combination between on the one hand the easiness of computerized access to an increasing number of measures of STI and on the other hand the interest in a growing number of public policy and private business circles in such indicators as might be expected in societies which increasingly use organized science and technology to achieve a wide variety of social and economic objectives and in which business competition is increasingly based on innovation. As highlighted on the basis of 40 years of indicators work, frontiers and characteristics that were important last century may well no longer be so relevant today and indeed may even be positively misleading. Read paper
  • Julien, N. and Zimmermann, J.B. “New approaches to intellectual property: from open software to knowledge-based industrial activities” , Groupement de Recherche en Économie Quantitative d'Aix-Marseille, Working Paper No. 2005-39, August 2005. The authors analyse the question of intellectual property in computer software, showing that both copyright and patents do not fit the specificities and needs of this industry. The alternative model of Open Source Software, based on a very new juridical concept called GPL "General Public Licence", tends to take a growing importance. They explain its main characteristics, which consist in imposing the producers to disclose of both the source-code of the concerned programmes and any further improvement if they are re-distributed/re-sold. They show that by this process a totally different approach to intellectual property within industrial strategies is introduced, based on a weaker intellectual protection. The authors discuss the consequences of such a movement in institutional and public policy terms and we enlarge the approach to understand its exemplarity, in the context of a knowledge-based economy, for a growing number of industrial activities. Read paper
  • SCHERER, F.M. “The Political Economy of Patent Policy Reform in the United States” , AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, Working Paper 06-22, October 2006.

    During the 1980s and 1990s, important legislative, judicial, and diplomatic initiatives emanated from the United States, strengthening patent and copyright enforcement systems both domestically and in the broader world economy. The political influences that led to these changes are interesting in their own right. Even more interesting, however, is the fact that governmental emphasis on patent systems increased in the wake of impressive new findings from economic studies showing that patents played a surprisingly minor role in well-established corporations' decisions to invest in research, development, and technological innovation. The opposing movements of the political and behavioral science currents will be a principal theme of this report. Read complete report

If you have any articles/books/papers/reports that you would like to recommend, please send an email to Rosanne Mensour (rosanne.mensour@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca) with the appropriate bibliographic information.

Technology Transfer Tools

FPTT Training Inventory – Become a player in technology transfer, technology marketing, technology commercialization and intellectual property management and others by exploring the unique training opportunities offered by the various organizations. Consult the FPTT Training Inventory.

(Please note: As a service to the technology transfer and intellectual property community, FPTT will attempt to maintain this training inventory and add new links as they become available. Your assistance is critical to the value and utility of these pages – please let us know of any additional sites to include or broken links to fix or remove. Thank you!)

Technologies from Federal Labs

If you would like to include information on technologies developed in your federal laboratory in the next edition of FPTT News, please send an email to Rosanne Mensour (rosanne.mensour@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca).

Federal Patents Granted to Canada's Federal Laboratories

If you would like to include information on a federal patent that has been granted to your laboratory in the next edition of FPTT News, please send an email to Rosanne Mensour (rosanne.mensour@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca).

Interesting Links

    • Nerac: critical research, patents and alerts – Nerac is the leading resource for business strategists and intellectual property professionals in scientific and technical markets. Nerac helps companies drive product innovation through timely analysis of the competitive marketplace, emerging technologies and global business strategies. Find out more.
    • New Search Engine for Exporters with Free Market Surveys – FITA – the Federation of International Trade Organization – is offering a new tool for those seeking information on international markets. Export Navigator allows users to search and access 10,000 free market surveys on the Web. FITA's analysts regularly scan the market reports and assure that they are "... relevant to your industry, have been published by reliable sources, do not require any registration or password, [and] are not older than two years." The site is designed as a search engine for exporters. While market reports are available now, FITA intends to add contents in the coming months. The search engine is at http://www.exportnavigator.com/  FITA's Web site is http://fita.org/. (source: Southern Growth Policies Board, February 2007)

FPTT Meetings and Events

  • FPTT Quebec Chapter Meeting – The next FPTT Quebec Chapter meeting will take place in May 2007. Details will be sent to members shortly.
  • FPTT National Capital Region Chapter Meeting – The next FPTT NCR Chapter will take place on March 29th, 2007 at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office in Ottawa, ON. Details will be sent to members shortly.
  • FPTT National Meeting and Awards Ceremony 2007 – The FPTT National Meeting and Awards Ceremony 2007 will be held on June 12, 2007 in Halifax, NS. Further details are available at: http://www.fptt-pftt.gc.ca/eng/index.html.

Training Opportunities

Ongoing

  • Certificate in Intellectual Property and Commercialization Management
    University of Manitoba, in partnership with the Technology Transfer Office
    More information and to register.
  • Business Development Academy (BDA)The BDA is committed to providing unparalleled educational opportunities to the business community. Their mission is to develop a curriculum and recruit the instructors that will best serve our members in developing the critical thinking skills necessary to grow their businesses. They strive to present lectures that provide our members with key insights into core business development competencies as well as furnish speakers that discuss breaking businesses trends.
    December ,
    More information and to register.

March 2007

April 2007

  • BIO-LES Advanced Business Development
    Licensing Executives Society (USA-Canada)
    April 11, 2007 to April 14, 2007
    Washington (USA)
    More information will be available shortly at: http://www.usa-canada.les.org/eventscalendar/
  • New! U.S. Patent Prosecution for the Advanced Practitioner

    April 16, 2007 in Montreal, ON

    April 17, 2007 in Ottawa, ON

    April 18, 2007 in Toronto, ON

    April 19, 2007 in Vancouver, BCIntellectual Property Institute of Canada
    More information and to register.
  • Advanced Negotiation Skills
    Licensing Executives Society (USA-Canada) and Vantage Partners
    April 18, 2007 to April 19, 2007
    San Diego (USA)
    More information and to register.
  • Technology Transfer Seminar
    Licensing Executives Society (USA-Canada)
    April 23, 2007 to April 24, 2007
    San Diego (USA)
    More information and to register.

May 2007

June 2007

  • ACCT Intermediate Licensing Course
    Alliance for the Commercialization of Canadian Technology
    June 12, 2007
    Halifax, NS
    More information and to register.
  • Advanced Valuation Skills
    Licensing Executives Society (USA-Canada)
    June 13, 2007 to June 14, 2007
    Philadelphia (USA)
    More information and to register.
  • International Intellectual Property Law - A summer program for lawyers and other professionals

    Delivered by a partnership of University of Victoria, University of Oxford, Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre and University of Illinois College of Law

    University of Victoria, University of Oxford, Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre and University of Illinois College of Law
    June 29, 2007 to August 10, 2007
    Oxford, England
    More information and to register.

July 2007

September 2007

Upcoming Events

February 2007

March 2007

April 2007

  • NBIA International Conference on Business Incubators
    National Business Incubation Association
    April 1, 2007 to April 4, 2007
    Seattle (USA)
    More information and to register.
  • New! Innovation, Public Procurement and SMEs
    Public Works and Government Services Canada and Industry Canada
    April 12, 2007
    Gatineau, QC

    Seating is limited, so please RSVP by Thursday April 5th, 2007 to:

    Sarah McClure (sarah.mcclure@pwgsc.gc.ca).

May 2007

June 2007

September 2007

  • 41st World Intellectual Property Congress
    International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property
    September 6, 2007 to September 11, 2007
    Boston (USA)
    More information will be available shortly at: http://www.aippi.org

October 2007

February 2008

  • 2008 AUTM Annual Meeting
    Association of University Technology Managers
    February 28, 2008 to March 1, 2008
    San Diego (USA)
    More information

May 2008

October 2008

  • LES Annual Meeting 2008
    Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada)
    October 19, 2008 to October 23, 2008
    Orlando (USA)
    More information will be available shortly at: http://www.usa-canada.les.org/meetings/

February 2009

  • 2009 AUTM Annual Meeting
    Association of University Technology Managers
    February 12, 2009 to February 14, 2009
    Orlando (USA)
    More information

May 2009

October 2009

  • LES Annual Meeting 2009
    Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada)
    October 18, 2009 to October 22, 2009
    San Francisco (USA)
    More information will be available shortly at: http://www.usa-canada.les.org/meetings/

Jobs Available

  • New! Technology Transfer Officer – Life Sciences
    Organization: University of British Columbia

    The University of British Columbia, University-Industry Liaison Office, is seeking a technology transfer officer in the life sciences area.

    Read job description
  • Technology Transfer Manager
    Organization: University of Saskatchewan

    The University of Saskatchewan has a position available for a technology transfer manager in the vet/med area. If interested please contact Doug Gill (doug.gill@usask.ca) Managing Director of the Industry Liaison Office. (Deadline: open until filled) 

    Read job description

If you would like to include a job posting in FPTT News, please send an email to Rosanne Mensour (rosanne.mensour@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca).

Other Electronic Newsletters

FPTT invites our readers to help us improve FPTT News. Please feel free to send your comments or suggestions concerning any aspects of the newsletter to Rosanne Mensour (rosanne.mensour@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca).

FPTT welcomes voluntary contributions of articles, case studies, news items, useful links and upcoming events of interest to our readers. If you have recently spoken at a conference, changed jobs, or have been nominated for an award, please let us know and we will be glad to highlight your accomplishments. Thank you.

If you have received this newsletter from a colleague and would like to subscribe to FPTT News yourself, then simply fill out the following form.

Past issues of this newsletter may be accessed via the FPTT website.

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Date Published: 2007-08-30

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