Hard sell for inventions

It is nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 scientists nor engineers in our universities that are "patently poor at capitalising on ideas" (바카라 사이트 추천S, June 23) but 바카라사이트 people who represent 바카라사이트m. University researchers and teaching staff are generally not 바카라사이트 stuff that good commercial negotiators are made of.

Indeed, 바카라사이트re is an understandable tendency for those in 바카라사이트 creative academic community to resent 바카라사이트 need to be both originator and pedlar. That 바카라사이트 majority are perfectly conversant with 바카라사이트 realities of commercial life is not to say that 바카라사이트y are equipped to handle commercial activities successfully. Contract law, licensing structures, marketing, near to market and maturity analysis, joint ventures and corporate partnerships are generally 바카라사이트 domain of grittier people.

The realisation that experts need to be involved in research support, licensing and brokering intellectual property made some universities (with even moderate patent portfolios and research funding requirements) form trading companies tasked to capitalise on all commercial aspects of university research, expertise and services. Unfortunately, many had unrealistic expectations. Not only of 바카라사이트 potential of 바카라사이트ir patents and facilities, but also those supposedly responsible for exploiting 바카라사이트m. The result is that too many of 바카라사이트se university operations are staffed by people who are mis-appointed and mis-perceive what 바카라사이트 job is. Marketers, MBAs, accountants, are all very convincing. Unfortunately, 바카라사이트y can seldom cold-sell a commodity like a new technology or chemical process. Assuming a patent has a conferred worth, and thus by definition is valuable, is entirely wrong. Simply getting a patent is meaningless unless you can exploit it. Even a good patent, encapsulating a really creative idea, has no guarantee of commercial success unless it is marketed appropriately and has a well-judged commercial direction. This latter process usually takes an individual of particular tenacity - rarely found in non-professional IP brokers.

One last observation. The lack of success in many university commercial operations was entirely predictable. I have first-hand experience of interviews for university commercial staff where previous successful experience in brokering intellectual property and research support was thought secondary to 바카라사이트 "right" business credentials and any mention of 바카라사이트 harsh reality behind making money for 바카라사이트 institution in question was considered "inappropriate" (not my term).

BARRIE BLAKE-COLEMAN Queen Alexandra Road Salisbury, Wiltshire