Fuentek Papers

Best Practices in Centralization, Coordination, and Consolidation in University Technology Transfer Offices (paper PDF—posted 3/2011)
Technology transfer programs at major research universities and other large institutions vary greatly in their technology transfer structure, both at the campus level and (for large, multi-campus institutions) at the institutional level. This paper discusses best practices for implementing (1) centralization within a single campus, (2) coordination across multiple campuses, and (3) consolidation across multiple campuses. Although written with a focus on universities, the principles and practices are applicable to federal laboratories as well. Read more... (link opens new browser window)
Enhancing Economic Development through Technology Transfer of Federal- and State-Funded R&D (link opens new browser window) (paper PDF—11/2010)
Federal- and state-funded research and development (R&D) organizations such as public universities and government laboratories have the potention to positively impact regional economic development in many ways. Some of these contributions emerge from these organizations' technology transfer programs...Read more... (link opens new browser window)
How’d We Do?: Establishing Useful Technology Transfer Metrics (link opens new browser window) (paper PDF—10/19/2010)
Research-based recommendations for measuring performance and success of tech transfer programs in government, academic, and corporate institutions. Read more... (link opens new browser window)
How to Build an Effective Technology Transfer Web Site (link opens new browser window) (paper PDF—7/2010)
Details on creating a Web site that is valuable for your prospective licensees, partners, and other internal and external stakeholders. Read more... (link opens new browser window)
How to Write an Effective Technology Marketing Description (paper PDF—7/2010)
Web pages about your licensing/partnering opportunities are a vital component of your overall marketing effort to transfer technologies to and partner with industry, adademia, and government organizations. Such Web pages have the advantage of being dynamic, enabling you to make updates and changes as the technology is further developed or as you receive feedback about the page's content. Read more...
Developing an Effective Internship Program for Your University’s Technology Transfer Office (link opens new browser window) (paper PDF—3/2010)
There has been much buzz throughout the technology transfer industry about using MBA candidates and other graduate students as an inexpensive resource for university technology transfer offices (TTOs). Tech transfer internship programs offer many benefits to both the students and the organization, but cost-cutting advantages (if any) are low on that list. Still, the tremendous experience such a program can offer students—training the future leaders of the business and tech transfer fields—provides reason enough to commit to an internship program. This paper gives insights into some of the best practices learned at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (UIUC), which is described in an accompanying case study. Read more... (link opens new browser window)
The Pros and Cons of No-Cost License Revenue–Sharing Patent Marketing and Brokerage Services (paper PDF—11/2009)
Guidance for federal agencies considering various venues for “passively” marketing their technologies. Read more...
Making Your Company into a Virtual Organization (link opens new browser window) (article PDF—Winter 2009) – Published in Mobility Entrepreneur Magazine and provided here with the publishers permission
Think back to just seven or eight years ago in the business world. Faxing still was a big method of communication, while video teleconferencing was an expensive novelty, costing around $200 for half an hour. Seems like ancient times, doesn't it? Read more... (link opens new browser window)
Understand-Address-Present: A ‘New Product Development’ Approach to Open Innovation (link opens new browser window) (paper PDF—9/2008)
Although the concept of “open innovation” has been expanding its reach into corporate and government R&D laboratories, many organizations still struggle with this paradigm shift. A key challenge can be overcoming the unwillingness to accept ideas/technologies from outside sources. Communicating the value of open innovation clearly and effectively with program managers is essential. Extensive research and first-hand experience indicate that a three-phase, customer-focused approach similar to that used in new product development is effective. This paper presents this three-phase strategy. Read more... (link opens new browser window)
Sources for Space Technologies: Finding and Evaluating New Partners (link opens new browser window) (paper PDF—10/2006)
Successful technology infusion requires (1) finding a match between an organization’s needs and technologies and those of an external partner and (2) helping both parties realize that they have something to gain from working collaboratively. After assessing whether the specific technical need is fully understood and confirming that pursuing partnerships to fulfill that need is indeed a worthy venture (i.e., a “need assessment”), one begins a Strategize-Seek-Secure process. The Strategize phase includes using appropriate parameters and sources to search for all organizations that might be potential partners and then down-selecting the results to only those that are truly relevant. These remaining organizations are then ranked A, B, or C, and a strategy is devised for approaching each level as well as each individual organization. During the Seek phase, appropriate communication materials are developed and used to contact potential partners. Using the information gleaned from these interviews, one then evaluates the organizations, re-ranking them as needed. The Secure phase involves facilitating meetings and conducting negotiations between the potential partner(s) and the internal “Need Owner” who will participate in any agreement for collaborative research and development (R&D). This entire process is part of the “6-S for Partnership Development Success” methodology. Read more... (link opens new browser window)
Investigate before Investing: Using Technology Transfer Principles to Guide R&D (link opens new browser window) (paper PDF—10/2005)
Achieving space program goals in a cost- and time-efficient manner requires that research and development (R&D) investments be strategically directed. An efficient R&D strategy involves careful investigation into existing sources of technical solutions. The investigations into sources for potential technology solutions and the future potential market/social benefits via spin-off are complementary activities that can, and should, be undertaken simultaneously. The findings are dually informative and should be gathered before R&D investments are made. This paper describes how to conduct these investigations. Read more...(link opens new browser window)
Extracting Value from Your Patent Portfolio (published in The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development, 2nd Edition,10/2004)
Guidance on tapping into existing IP to introduce new products or expand into new business areas. Read more...
Getting to the Best First: Proactive Efficient and Effective IP Screening (published June 2004 in les Nouvelles and available from the Licensing Executives Society) The process for quickly identifying the best technologies for commercialization. Read more...