Connecting science to business
The Technology Transfer Office (TTO) is helping to make Puerto Rico a global leader in innovation. Through our resources and partnerships, we identify, evaluate, protect, market, and transfer the most promising research discoveries from Puerto Rico’s universities, institutions, and research institutes to the private sector for commercialization and to benefit the public.
The TTO’s objectives are to collaborate with its university partners and to offer assistance, advice, education, and example forms/templates; and for selected cases, IP protection, marketing, negotiation and deal-making services to reflect the university partner’s enhanced efforts in technology transfer.
What we do
TTO helps researchers take their ideas and discoveries out of the lab and into the real world, where it impacts people in their everyday lives. The office also helps protect the researchers’ ideas through intellectual property and serves as a bridge between researchers and entrepreneurs.
Our portfolio of technologies consists of inventions and intellectual property from our university partners, reflecting discoveries in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering.
Accelerating research
into commercial success
Strategy & Goals
The Trust TTO’s mission is to effectively identify, assess, protect, market, and transfer the most promising research discoveries from Puerto Rico’s universities, institutions and research institutes to the private sector for commercialization and to benefit the public.
The TTO’s vision is to work collaboratively with its partner institutions to build a robust portfolio of research discoveries and high value intellectual property; and provide deal-making services to move those discoveries into businesses through industry partnerships, licensing agreements, and start-up companies.
The Five-year aspiration goal is to perform at peer average, a cohort of 15 North American public & private universities with similar R&D expenditures and medical schools.
Our Initiatives
EnTrust
EnTRUST was established in 2021 as a Life Science “Lab to Market” bootcamp offered in conjunction with Columbia University’s Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. Each year a 12-week course exposes academic researchers to key aspects of drug development, design, and commercialization.
Areas of Focus
Entrepreneurship
Universities
Marketing
Commercialization
Intellectual Property
Research Institutes
Development
Policy
- Intellectual Property (IP)
- Research Contracts and IP
- Start-ups
- Conflict of Interest and Commitment
Faculty Researcher Education
- Inventor Handbook
- Presentations on campus
Inventor Forms
- Invention Disclosure
- IP Employment Agreement
- Inventor Assignment
Resources for Selected Cases
- Expert technical and commercial assessments
- TTO information management system
Agreements
- Confidentiality or Non-disclosure
- Consulting
- Research agreements with IP
- Inter-institutional
- Material transfer
- Option
- License
Legal Services for Selected Cases
- External law firms specific to IP
- Direct or shared support of IP protection
- Cost management
Documents
Benchmarking Summary Report (November 2015, D. Gulley)
What is technology transfer?
Technology transfer is the process of transferring scientific discoveries from one organization — such as a university, to another — such as an existing or start-up business, for the purpose of further development and commercialization.
The Association of Technology Managers (AUTM) explains this process in “About Technology Transfer”.
Researchers, scientists, and colleagues:
Mini-Course: Intellectual Property for Academic Researchers
The Trust Technology Transfer Office is pleased to offer you this mini-course on “Intellectual Property for Academic Researchers”. We thank the University of California for its permission to use their on-line training modules as a foundation, and special thanks to our TTO intern, Lianeris M. Estremera Rodriguez, for her diligence in reviewing and revising content.
We hope this mini-course is helpful in furthering your understanding of intellectual property in an academic setting. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]
Best,
David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
Director, Technology Transfer Office
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
Tech Transfer Recognition Week: Topics
Científica del Instituto de Salud Pública de Puerto Rico se une a selecta red internacional de líderes
La designación fortalece la presencia de Puerto Rico en escenarios globales
Rondas de visitas a TecLab Clubs de la Región Educativa de Ponce
Estas con el propósito de visibilizar el éxito de la segunda cohorte del proyecto TecLab Puerto Rico en las escuelas participantes.
El poder de abrir caminos en STEM
En esta nueva columna, Marcos Crespo reflexiona sobre el poder de acercar oportunidades, experiencias y espacios de innovación a jóvenes alrededor de Puerto Rico, recordándonos que el talento existe en todas partes, pero el acceso no siempre llega igual.
Del patio al mercado: la historia de Agro Lab PR
Agro Lab PR comenzó como un experimento casero en plena pandemia y hoy desarrolla herramientas tecnológicas para atender necesidades reales del sector agrícola en Puerto Rico. En esta historia, Marilyn Torres y Luis Bauzó comparten cómo la perseverancia, la adaptación y el apoyo de programas como Fase1 impulsaron la evolución de su emprendimiento desde el patio de una casa hasta nuevas oportunidades de crecimiento.
La ciencia se construye desde la curiosidad y las oportunidades
Luis Acevedo-Márquez comparte cómo las experiencias tempranas dentro de laboratorios y espacios científicos pueden influir en el desarrollo profesional de estudiantes universitarios. A través de su trayectoria y su rol actual en el Research Institute, reflexiona sobre la importancia de acercar a nuevas generaciones a la investigación, la industria y las oportunidades que existen dentro de la ciencia en Puerto Rico.
Proveer nuevas herramientas para la investigación científica en Puerto Rico
El valor de esta tecnología no está solo en los equipos, sino en la posibilidad de ponerlos al servicio de la comunidad científica que es nuestro norte como Instituto de Investigación.
Other Resources
U.S. Federal Legislation
Bayh-Dole Act, supporting technology transfer for discoveries and inventions supporting by U.S. federally funded research.
Educational Material
Professional Development
- Association of University Technology Managers
- Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals
- Certified Licensing Professionals
- Licensing Executives Society
Global Perspectives
Intellectual Property Protection
