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Technology transfer practices

Camilla Bonati

Technology transfer

2

License

Academic research ideas

relations

contactsfeedback

IP management

Technology assessment

Industry assessment

Market assessment

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Due Diligence - SWOT analysis

3

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

Technology Patent Market (preliminary)

InnovationState of the Art

Applications

Scope of protectionPrior art

Dependence

OpportunitiesFreedom of operation

Critical issues

1 2 3

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Technology/patent face off

product, process, software, novel use application(s) mature ↔ emergent

technology ↔ patent geographic protection ↔ markets of

interest SOTA landscape ↔ future developments

4

Technology…

… Patent

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Retrieving information

Key element of successful technology transfer:

The inventor

applications, technological atouts, market players, contacts

Cooperation with TTOs

Search engines

Scientific & patent DBs

5

Commercial DBs

Forum, Associations

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6

Patent DBs

www.esp@cenet.com

www.epoline.com

www.wipo.int

www.qpat.com

www.uibm.gov.it

www.uspto/gov

www19.ipdl.inpit.go.jp

www.delphion.com

Scientific papers

www.endnote.com

scholar.google.com

www.cas.org/SCIFINDER

www.isiwebofknowledge.com

Retreiving scientific & patent information

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7

Weakness: prior art

Threats: freedom of operation

Example: Photosensitive device

Source: Qpat

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Technology: “early stage” or “mature”?

8

Source: Qpat

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Geographical patent landscape

9

Source: Qpat

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10

Retrieving information: market assessment

DBs and reports

Forums and associations

Les-italy

Techno-l

Associazione Italiana Documentalisti Brevettuali

Medtrack (pharma) Hoover’s

Knowledge express Frost &

Sullivan

Lexis nexis

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Example (continued)

Opportunities: market

11

Source: hoover’s

Consumer Products ManufacturersPhotographic & Optical Equipment/Supplies Manufacturers

Consumer Products ManufacturersConsumer ElectronicsVideo Equipment Canon Competitors

Foveon competitors (acquistata da Sigma corporation)

Aegis Corporation Acer Incorporated Agfa OmniVision Technologies

Agfa-Gevaert Ltd. Action Asia Limited ASML Pixim

Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Alco Holdings Limited CASIO COMPUTER Zoran

Arkwright Advanced Coating, Inc. Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. Eastman Kodak

AVerMedia Technologies, Inc. Apex Digital, Inc. Fuji Xerox

Berli Jucker Public Company Limited Apple Inc. FUJIFILM

Bray Imaging Technologies Ltd. Archos S.A. Fujitsu

Bushnell Outdoor Products Audiovox Specialized Applications, LLC Hewlett-Packard

Canon Canada Inc. AVerMedia Technologies, Inc. Hitachi

Canon Inc. Avid Technology, Inc. InfoPrint

Canon Marketing (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Bang & Olufsen a/s Konica Minolta

Canon Oy BenQ Corporation Kyocera

Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd. Broadcast Microwave Services, Inc. Lexmark

Canon (UK) Limited Buffalo Technology (USA), Inc. NEC

Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon Canada Inc. Nikon

Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung Canon Inc. Océ

CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. Canon Oy Oki Electric

Casio America, Inc. Centon Electronics, Inc. Olympus

Celestron Acquisition, LLC Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd. Panasonic Corp

The Chilcote Company Clarion Co., Ltd. Philips Electronics

Computextos S.A.C. Crestron Electronics, Inc. Polaroid

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Opportunities: growth of major players in industry

Key Numbers Canon Konica Minolta Ricoh Company Xerox    

Annual Sales ($ mil.) 34,790.9 9,742.9 21,500.5 15,179.0    

Employees 168,879 36,875 110 53,6    

Market Cap ($ mil.) 56,810.5 592,338.4 1,000,000.0 9,849.2    

Profitability Canon Konica Minolta Ricoh Company Xerox Industry Market

Median Median2

Gross Profit Margin 44.48% 45.12% 40.30% 70.43% 43.14% 28.77%

Pre-Tax Profit Margin 6.84% 3.51% 0.09% 4.13% 7.79% 8.48%

Net Profit Margin 4.10% 1.60% (0.43%) 3.20% 5.12% 5.53%

Return on Equity 4.9% 3.6% (0.9%) 7.3% 9.5% 10.1%

Return on Assets 3.4% 1.6% (0.4%) 2.1% 5.4% 1.5%

Return on Invested Capital

4.9% 2.4% (0.5%) 3.1% 8.9% 4.4%

Valuation Canon Konica Minolta Ricoh Company Xerox Industry Market

Median Median2

Price/Sales Ratio 0,088194444 0,043055556 0.57 0,045833333 1.08 0,175

Price/Earnings Ratio 40.65 41.49.00 (133.33) 20.58 24.21.00 27.32.00

Price/Book Ratio 0,110416667 1.43 1.22 1.40 2.09 7.22

Price/Cash Flow Ratio 0,386111111 5.51 6.11 4.51 8.55 23.09

Operations Canon Konica Minolta Ricoh Company Xerox Industry Market

Median Median2

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Source: hoover’s

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Due Diligence - Output

13

Weaknesses

ThreatsOpportunities

Strength

Information transfer1. Commercial flyer2. Cluster - flyer

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Introducing the technology

Commercial flyer

IP

kind of protection

geographical

coverage

technology

description

Innovation Advantages Applications

State of develop.

Offer

LicenseResearch

14

Contact informationImages, Examples

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An Example

15

Highlights

Applications

Competitive

advantages

Kind of IP

Stage of development

Aim

Cluster flyer

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Technology transfer…

…in 5 steps :

I. Patent analysis

II. Discussion with the inventor

III. Set up of supporting material (commercial flyer, clusters)

IV. Identifying potential licensee

V. Contact

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Identification of potential licensees

Combine different research strategies…

Suggestions from the inventor

Databases Patent (IPC, keywords, citations) Economic (industry reports, keywords, competitors)

Search engines

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…& Screen the results!!

Contact

Mail

Phone

Fax

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Licensing models

Academic research

Market

Push

Pull

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Example: permanent magnet actuator

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“A magnetic actuator for adaptive type actuation comprising a set of permanent magnets (M) including at least one first set of magnets and one second set of magnets spatially arranged so as to be able to interact magnetically with one another; means (SM) for orienting the magnets of one set in relation to the magnets of the other set in order to vary the mutual interaction between them; potential energy storage means (RE) connected to the two sets of magnets to recover the energy needed to orient the magnets”

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Technology assessment

Highly efficient magnetic actuator based on permanent magnets, able to produce strong forces and featuring high adaptability (reversibility) and stiffness control towards the user and the surrounding environment. The actuators have been successfully employed to allow muscle-like flexion of the single segments constituting a bio-inspired robot, reproducing the typical eel-like movements.

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the actuator generates a force (muscle-like behavior) high intensity forces may be produced great adaptability and reversibility high efficiency stability

Advantages

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Applicatiosn

Bio-ispired Robots

… but also:

robotics· automotive· aerospace

games– entertainmenthealthcare

· orthopaedic ehabilitation

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Due Diligence

24

Strength Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

Different applicationsCompetitive advantages

search reportgeographical protection

Early stageBased on permanent magnets

Many recipientsBig playersDifferent target markets

Automotive market crisis

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Patent assessment – finding potential licensees (I)

Citation analysis(3rd level)

25

Source: Qpat

!!Company screening!!

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Patent assessment – finding potential licensees (II)

Relevant International classes- keywords

PHILIPS

SEAGATE

SIEMENS

EATON CORP

SAMSUNG

SONY

MATSUSHITA

MITSUBISHI

DELPHI

HEWLETT PACKARD

ABB

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Number of patents

Assig

nee

Main assigneesAssignee timeline Source: Qpat

Robot, actuator, automation, magnet

Market analysis

27

!! Company screeing!!

Source: hoover’s

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Market analysis: company assessment

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Industrial Manufacturing· Industrial Automation &

Industrial Control Products Manufacturing(primary)

Electronics· Electrical Products· Electronic Inspection &

Monitoring Instruments· Electronic Test & Measurement

Instruments

Source: hoover’s

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Flyer

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Positive downturns

Exchange : researchers

Opening channels for future cooperation

Feedbacks

Economic benefits

31

Technology

Market

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