Here’s the first part of another post I did over at our new multi-author blog called Minnov8:
The
University of Minnesota is among the top patent producers in the world,
ranking #4 on Scientist Magazine’s list of “Patent Powerhouses,” behind
only three other major American universities. Yet, quantity of patents
hardly paints the entire picture. What about helping to start up
companies to commercialize those patents?
According to the U’s own business development people (see link to
Powerpoint presentation at bottom), the 20-year success record of the
U’s technology company spinoffs is only half
the university average nationally — and less than one-fourth the
success record of the nation’s premier schools. What’s more, in one
recent year (2004), for example, the U of MN spun off only one company
compared to 14 at the University of Michigan and 16 at the University
of Illinois. Why I am focusing here on spinoffs? Well, because,
according the U’s own business development people, creating university
spinoffs is “much more profitable than licensing (revenues)” to the
school.
And, besides, the largest source of the U’s licensing revenues will run out soon …. post continued here.
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