Introducing the Intellectual Asset Inventory

Historically, Northeastern Pennsylvania’s institutions of higher education have not actively engaged in technology transfer and commercialization. That trend has begun to change in recent years, due in large part to the Keystone Innovation Zones, Innovation Grants and Keystone Innovation Starter Kits administered by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Technology Institute (NPTI). The next step in encouraging local institutions to become the economic engines they have the potential to be is NPTI’s development of its Intellectual Asset Inventory (IAI).

The IAI comprises a database providing dynamic information from all 14 institutions of higher education in the region, including research, publications, faculty expertise, facilities, equipment, services and intellectual property. Business and industry can leverage the intellectual capital and resources available at member institutions in order to perform sponsored research locally, validate results using institution equipment, forge partnerships with local research faculty, and transfer and commercialize technology.

Dr. Rodney Ridley, Director of Engineering and Physics at Wilkes University said, “This database will help promote the valuable research activity taking place on campus and also serves as a recruiting tool to knowledge-based businesses as we can display the resources and talent that are available.”

Local institutions of higher education will benefit from the IAI by having the ability to find peers with low-density skills for collaborative research locally, to share facilities, equipment, and services to maximize capital intensive investments, and to have a virtual showcase of intellectual property on display for transfer or commercialization.

Dr. Dan Flynn, Associate Dean for Research and Economic Development at the Commonwealth Medical College is a strong support of the database project. He said, “This database will promote the recruitment of talented faculty and scientists by displaying the resources and collaborators available in the region.”

The IAI also provides access to resources and opportunities like its Funding Funnel, which creates a single point of reference for researchers seeking funding, and its memorandum of understanding with the Penn State University Intellectual Property Agreement that gives members access to services that include but are not limited to:

• Intellectual property market assessment
• Development an intellectual protection strategy (patent, licensing, royalty agreements)
• Active marketing of the intellectual property for transfer
• Negotiation of agreements (NDA, confidentiality, disclosures, material transfer options)

And through the IAI, for the first time, research faculty across the region will achieve rapid communication and mutual support; talented students will have the ability to locate faculty at any institution in regard to graduate assistantship and employment opportunities; and the successes of individual institutions, as well as the region as a whole, will be promoted to internal and external sources, encouraging participation, partnerships, and publication.