Industry Collaborations
Moving technology from laboratories to the marketplace is the challenge following discovery. The federal government has many resources to foster such technology transfer.
The Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center is a full-service technology-management center that helps organizations identify commercially promising discoveries, market them to American industry, and build partnerships turning inventions into products. Congress established the NTTC in 1989.
Guided by a mission to aid economic development through matching federally funded research with U.S. private industry, the NTTC offers a complete line of products and services enabling American businesses to find technologies, facilities and world-class researchers within the federal labs and universities needed to remain on the cutting edge of innovation.
The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) is the nationwide network of federal laboratories that provides the forum to develop strategies and opportunities for linking the laboratory mission technologies and expertise with the marketplace. The FLC was organized in 1974 and formally chartered by the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 to promote and to strengthen technology transfer nationwide. Today, more than 700 major federal laboratories and centers and their parent departments and agencies are FLC members.
See also Mechanisms for Accessing Federal Resources.
Agriculture Research Service (ARS) continually looks for opportunities to partner with private sector businesses, other federal agencies, state and local governments, universities, and its customers. These partnerships are designed to augment research programs, expedite research results to the private sector, exchange information and knowledge, stimulate new business and economic development, enhance U.S. trade, preserve the environment, and improve the quality of life for all Americans.
Tech Transfer Resources
Federal Technology Transfer Offices on the Internet
This guide links technology searchers to technology transfer offices or centers at Federal Laboratories and related sites, highlighting unique features at each site. It is arranged by Federal Department or Agency, then alphabetically by name. This guide is maintained by the Technology Transfer Information Center, National Agricultural Library, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
American Society for Engineering Education
Annual Report on Technology Transfer: Approach and Plans
FY 2002 Activities and Achievements, Dept. of Commerce (DoC)
DoC Technology Administration, Innovation in American: University R&D
Workshop report, June 2002
Intellectual Property Resources, including patent and trademark information and public policy. U.S.D.A. Technology Transfer Information Center, National Agricultural Library
Society of Research Administrators International, Grant Resources page with information on public, private and Government grants. Also, the Resource Guide, a comprehensive list of public and private funding assistance resources.
Summary report on Federal Laboratory Technology Transfer
2002 Report to the President and Congress on the Technology Transfer and Commercialization Act.
Other reports, including key competitiveness areas, are available at the DoC Technology Administration website.
University/Industry Collaborations, National Council of University Research Administrators
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Federal Legislation Affecting Technology Transfer The Technology Transfer and Commercialization Act of 2000 |
At this early stage of its development, an important mechanism by which nanotechnology can find its way into commercial applications is through interaction among industry, academic, and government researchers. See National Nanofabrication Infrastructure Network (NNIN), other R&D User Facilities, and DoE Nanoscale Science Research Centers (NSRCs), each with a specific focus, to be co-located at Federal laboratories across the country.
See also Funding Opportunities