Intellectual property management at Plymouth State University involves identifying, protecting, and utilizing intellectual property (IP) through licensing, materials transfer, and broader commercialization efforts. While the federal Bayh-Dole Act requires educational institutions to report inventions resulting from federally funded projects, PSU facilitates innovation management for IP resulting from these and other sponsored projects or endeavors, as well as IP created while contractually obligated and utilizing PSU resources. IP disclosures are required as governed by PSU’s Intellectual Property Policy (link below) and provide potential financial and other benefits to both the creator and PSU.
Intellectual Property & Technology Transfer Services
IP and Tech Transfer services are provided by the Center for Research & Innovation at PSU in conjunction with UNH Innovation
Upon identifying intellectual property, the creator completes the PSU Intellectual Property Disclosure Form (below).
The CRI in conjunction with UNHI provide initial commercial assessment, including patent searches to identify similar or overlap of currently patented IP, as well as commercial feasibility and market analysis.
Informed by PSU’s interests along with UNHI’s assessment, PSU will choose to either maintain its interest in the IP or release the IP back to the creator, in which case either the federal agency funding the research may elect to retain title to the IP, or the sole rights for the IP will revert to the creator. If PSU exercises the option to retain the IP, it will act to protect the IP through the recommended process. For IP created by a federally funded project, PSU is required as a provision of the Bayh-Dole act to protect IP for which it elects to retain title.
Where protection of Intellectual Property is prescribed, PSU will work with the University System of New Hampshire to secure protection.
This includes forming development and commercialization strategies such as marketing and licensing to existing private sector companies or creating new startup companies based on the technology. UNHI assists PSU with efforts to secure agreements for the technologies in which companies express an interest. This may include licenses, material transfer agreements (MTA), and inter-institutional agreements. For licenses, UNHIprovides PSU with assistance in negotiating an appropriate option and licensing structure. This may include items such as:
- providing comparables
- providing sample option and licensing language;
- setting appropriate up-front payments;
- creating option and licensing milestones;
- setting term and compensation; and
- setting an appropriate royalty rate
