Government Laboratory Technology Transfer

This title was first published in 2000: Due to budget cuts and competitiveness pressures, determining the outcome of technology transfer from government R&D laboratories to private industry and entrepreneurial start-ups is of increasing interest. This book presents a series of case studies of successful technology transfer by examining the same list of topics for each case. It presents a format for analyzing the cases, topic by topic - a methodology that could be used by any R&D laboratory. The book also goes one step further and compares the cases that took place prior to national technology transfer legislation with those cases that took place after passage of such legislation. An additional feature is the summary of existing attempts to measure and evaluate technology transfer. This follows a backgroudn section on the technology policy context. The analysis finds that there is a significant commercial impact from government laboratory transfer using this approach.

A toolbox for accessing federal laboratory innovations and financing the acquisition of new technologies with corporate equity, this book is also a guide to understanding the expertise of specific government laboratories. Entrepreneurs can rapidly accelerate the growth of their companies and become more competitive by acquiring federal laboratory innovations. This book is an indispensable resource for those who want access to the latest breakthrough technologies, most of which can be traced to universities and federally funded laboratories. These taxpayer-funded idea factories can and should be leveraged by companies for competitive advantage. The authors describe how the private sector can engage these labs as long-term strategic partners, as well as development partners for the ongoing, cost-effective improvement of new technologies. Jargon-free and succinct, this guide also explains how to benefit from knowledge of the current technology-transfer landscape in order to maximize this special private-public partnership. No country can equal the United States in research and development assets. But the federal government is not always as successful as it could be in using its authority to encourage such partnerships. It is therefore up to the private sector—entrepreneurs as well as established companies seeking new growth outlets-exploit the information presented here. Included is a directory of federal laboratories with a synopsis of their expertise and contact information, along with copies of the breakthrough technology-transfer legislation that has made technology transfer possible.

This book explores major similarities and differences in the structure, conduct, and performance of the national technology transfer systems of Germany and the United States. It maps the technology transfer landscape in each country in detail, uses case studies to examine the dynamics of technology transfer in four major technology areas, and identifies areas and opportunities for further mutual learning between the two national systems.