History of Tech Transfer

How did technology transfer start at universities?

In 1980, the United States Congress enacted the Bayh-Dole Act, which permitted universities to own intellectual property (IP) produced through research funded by the federal government. The Bayh-Dole Act also imposed upon universities the duty to commercialize inventions produced through federal research, as well as several other requirements. Since 1980, universities and technology transfer offices are increasingly relied upon to support regional economies and foster world-changing innovation.

When did SDSU start commercializing intellectual property?

SDSU created the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) in 1998 in response to demands for support from faculty who saw the opportunity for their research to impact the community beyond the laboratory or classroom.

The TTO only owns inventions created with significant institutional support as determined by the SDSU University Senate Policy.

Inventors and authors receive 50 percent of the net royalties generated by SDSU IP, as generous a share as any university in the country. The remaining royalties are used to support scholarly activities at SDSU, including 25 percent to the inventors' or authors' college. IP commercialized by the SDSU TTO regularly generates around $1 million annually in royalties for the faculty and university.