The Milken Institute has just released an extensive report of biotechnology transfer entitled Mind to Market: A Global Analysis of University Biotechnology Transfer and Commercialization. The report ranks universities around the world based on "publication rankings, patenting activity and office of technology transfer (OTT) outcome measures, or how universities perform in the overall innovation pipeline."
Wisconsin ranked #14 in publications, #9 in patenting activity, and #22 in OTT outcomes. In addition, Wisconsin ranked #4 in licensing income and #5 in patents issued. Well done, Badgers!
Other key findings:
• Harvard ranks first in terms of biotech research, as measured by papers and citations, followed by the University of Tokyo and University of London. U.S. universities hold eight of the top 10, and 28 of the top 40 positions. California universities hold five of the top 25 rankings; the UK and Japan hold three each.
• The University of Texas system scores first on our Biotech Patent Composite Index, followed by UC San Francisco — which is likely first among individual campuses since the University of Texas doesn’t report data on individual campuses — and Johns Hopkins. Nine of the top 10 patent holders are U.S. universities. The University of London ranks first among foreign universities (10th overall). (U.S.-issued university biotech patents grew from a cumulative total of 433 through 1995 to 11,430 in 2004.)
• Our University Technology Transfer and Commercialization Index shows MIT first on outcome measures, which include such factors as licensing income and startups. The University of California system ranks second (led by UC San Francisco), with Caltech third, Stanford fourth and Florida fifth. The University of British Columbia was the highest-ranked Canadian institution, coming in eighth overall.
• Among U.S., Canadian and European universities, the United States leads in invention disclosures, patents filed and granted, licenses executed and licensing income. However, European universities surpass their U.S. counterparts in startups established.
• Research activity has a high rate of return. Each 10-point increase in our Research Papers score contributes an additional $1.7 million in annual licensing income.
• Investments into OTTs also offer high returns. For every $1 invested in OTT staff, the university receives alittle more than $6 of licensing income.
• In terms of job creation, the Amgens and Genentechs most differentiate the economic impact of U.S. university-based biotech commercialization that originates from universities in other nations.
Interesting stuff, though if you want to read the whole thing, you will need to reserve a few hours.
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1. Posted by Stuart Bray on September 27, 2006 @ 14:07 | Permalink
I must first admit that I haven't read the entire report nor done much more than skim it. I am quite curious why there are more start ups in Europe than in the US, when there is statistically a lot more research and patentable material generated in the US. Are the tax breaks better in Europe for rolling out technology into the market place? Or is it, as I assume, that the European Universities' Tech Transfer departments put less restrictions on their employed researchers. It would be nice if US tech transfer entities gave more opportunities to researchers to develop the technology on their own without terribly restrictive regulations governing the assigned intellectual property. It seems that many US universities stifle the development of good IP by requiring immediate assignment and absorbing the IP into the university system, which scrutinizes the patent prosecution, commercial exploration, and final licensing and royalty management with thick university bureaucracy. I admit the money that Universities can quickly throw at good IP is nice, but is it any better than floating the technology in the market and seeing if VCs will bite?
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