UCD technology transfer reports increase in invention disclosures

NovaUCD, the innovation and technology transfer centre in charge of commercialising intellectual property emerging from University College Dublin’s research, has reported a 35 per cent increase in invention disclosures since 2006.

The NovaUCD 2007 Report says that UCD researchers in the fields of information and communication technology, life science and engineering filed 26 patent applications. These were equally split: 9 priority patent applications, 9 patent cooperation treaty applications and 8 national/regional patent applications.

Pat Frain, Director of NovaUCD, said: “The continuing growth in commercial activity at UCD, with increasing numbers of invention disclosures, is indicative of the growing commitment of UCD and its researchers to the commercialisation of UCD research-generated intellectual property for the benefit of the Irish economy and society.”

NovaUCD runs a Campus Company Development Programme which provides entrepreneurs and knowledge-based start up companies with business support and incubation facilities. Ninety per cent of NovaUCD’s space dedicated to incubation units is being occupied by 23 new ventures.

To date 190 individuals and 130 companies have completed this programme and the 2007 report states that former participants collectively employ 675 people, and nine companies have taken up new premises opening up space for new projects.

Eight licence agreements have been concluded with national and international companies, to which four spin-out companies were incorporated.

NovaUCD is funded by a public–private partnership including AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD, Xilinx and Enterprise Ireland, whose support Frain associates with the growth in UCD’s commercial activity. He says: “Given the significant expansion of NovaUCD’s technology transfer team during the year with the support of Enterprise Ireland, this growth in commercial activity at UCD is likely to be accelerated in the years ahead.”