Discovery used to be relatively easy. But, over time it has become harder and harder to find the next great innovation. Wellspring for Technology Scouting software was developed to deliver a simpler and more efficient way to find and manage technologies. It streamlines the process by addressing the hidden costs of modern innovation. Wellspring for Technology Scouting from Wellspring on ...

After a study highlights the benefits of accelerating the transition of research from lab to market, Adi Gaskell looks at how companies can better work with university and government research labs.

While I believe that innovation is a process that can and should be managed, I also believe that innovative people simply “are,” and that some people simply cannot (innovate), even if coached.

At the risk of stating the obvious, all universities are similar, but each one is different. Just when you think you’ve got a key piece of university tech transfer strategy figured out -- like peeling the proverbial onion -- you unearth another layer you haven’t even considered. (Actually, in this case, onions are much too stolid and predictable – maybe raking leaves on a windy day would be a better analogy.)

If I had to characterize the year 2011 in the world of university technology transfer, I would describe it as a year of "wait and see." Of course several notable events happened -- for example, patent reform and a Supreme Court case that clarified limitations on university patent ownership. But my sense was that this year’s big events will make their true impact felt over the longer term.