IP Champions in Innovative Partnerships
By Brian Noyes
Intellectual property policy already makes for strange bedfellows. Have you noticed that IP doesn’t hit partisan or state lines? Senators and Congressmen from both sides of the aisle and from every nook and cranny of the country are stewards of the Founding Father’s vision of a creative and innovative America.
The same can be said for those who are actually responsible for IP creation itself. Private enterprises, academic institutions, and public organizations are partnering up to cross-pollinate ideas which are sprouting into innovations which further consumer access and economic prosperity.
In fact, universities are responsible for conducting more than half of all basic research in the U.S. But while some researchers may sit back in their labs and hope the world comes to them, many institutions of higher learning are proactively helping students and faculty to move to the next step in the marketplace by partnering with local and national businesses.
The University of Virginia’s U.Va. Innovation program is leading the way to bridge education with hands-on entrepreneurship, proving that learning goes far beyond any textbook or classroom. One such success comes from senior research scientist Reza Monazami, who developed a technology which mitigates temperatures emitted by our electronics, causing them to operate cooler, more efficiently, and in a less costly manner. With the aid of U.Va’s Innovation program, Monazami can now explore venture and commercialization opportunities as well as focus on creating more novel innovations.
And on the flip side, you’re seeing startup entrepreneurs collaborate with organizations to innovate effectively and efficiently. Case in point is ROBAUTO, Inc which linked serial startup guru Jalali Hartman with the Florida Blue to identify consumer need and eventually create “robots you’ll love” which are now being used as an innovative new treatment for autism.
What you’ll find is that IP plays an integral role in the success of these partnerships. Tackling complex problems means pursuing equally—if not more so—complex solutions which are fraught with trial and error, eating up resources and time. But the end result of innovation is nothing short of amazing, and at this year’s 2014 IP Champions Conference we will recognize the great strides stemming from these innovative partnerships.
Please join us one week from today to celebrate our new class of IP Champions just ahead of World IP Day 2014.
