Welcome

Kent State researchers translate new ideas into product, prototypes and services with commercial potential every day. Technologies invented at Kent State are patented or copyrighted and licensed to existing or start-up companies for commercialization.

Kent State was recognized by the state of Ohio for its many university-related start-up ventures and also received an award for the "Best Technology Transfer Program" in 2001.

Available Technologies

Kent State's OTT is the one-stop resource for licensing Kent State 's intellectual property and developing technology-based partnerships. Kent State innovations available for licensing include

• Advanced materials
• Bioscience and chemical/biochemical advances
• Information technologies
  

• Faculty, post-doctorates and, to a lesser extent, graduate students come up with an invention.
• The inventor(s) contact OTT, and OTT works with them to understand the invention.
• The inventor(s) complete an Invention Disclosure Form and Invention Abstract.
• A patent board, comprised of faculty, inventors, technology transfer experts and legal advisors, determines the inventions in which the university will invest. (It can cost $5,000-$10,000 to file a patent application, most of which are legal expenses.)
• OTT conducts research to see if any similar inventions have been patented and how the technology may potentially fit into the marketplace.
• OTT conducts market research and obtains leads from inventors about companies that may be interested in the technology.
• This often results in a licensing agreement, which allows a company to use the university's research. The company, in return, pays royalties to the university. Royalties are used to cover expenses, reward inventors and invest in further research. (The average length of time between signing a license agreement to use technology and getting the product to the market is six years.)