Welcome back to The Pulse, your guide to the latest opportunities to partner with federal labs to accelerate R&D and time to market.
February 16 is National Innovation Day, which honors the creative thinkers who push technology and ideas forward. The researchers in Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) labs across the country are certainly innovators, with thousands of technologies available for licensing.
TechLink is the national technology transfer partner for DOD and VA labs, and we're here to help you find the right innovation for your business. We guide qualified companies through the technology licensing process at no cost.
Read on to learn about different types of tech transfer agreements for your company, AI-driven innovations, and how one business partnered with a VA lab to improve its product and better serve customers.
Federal agencies like the DOD, VA, and NASA conduct billions of dollars' worth of research every year. Through technology transfer, companies can use federal research to launch new products or refine their existing lineup.
Tech transfer is a strategic way for U.S. companies to innovate faster and reduce R&D costs and risks. Technology transfer also powers the economy by adding new jobs and products to the market. Curious how your company can tap into federal research?
Businesses can leverage several licensing agreement types to gain rights to make and sell government-developed tech, including:
Patent License Agreements (PLAs) grant companies the right to further develop, manufacture, use, and sell government-owned inventions, turning them into real-world products.
Cooperative R&D Agreements (CRADAs) allow federal labs to share equipment, resources, and personnel with a partnering business as they work toward a common R&D goal.
Government Purpose Licenses (GPLs), Commercial Evaluation Licenses (CELs), and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) offer flexible, scalable paths to working with federal labs, allowing businesses to experiment, minimize risks, and build long-lasting relationships.
These agreements are available across industries. And just last month, the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering launched the Defense Patent Holiday, a pilot program that offers qualified companies no-fee CELs, giving unprecedented access to government intellectual property.
Could one of these partnership agreements be the next step for your business? Learn more here or click below to explore your options.
There are over 6,000 technologies developed by federal labs available for licensing right now in our marketplace. These opportunities span communications, software, materials, electronics, and many other industries. Here's a peek at a few:
AI-driven Innovations
The global autonomous systems market is projected to reach $10 billion by 2030. If your company makes hardware or software products that leverage AI, collaborating with federal labs can accelerate your time to market. In such a fast-moving industry, every second counts.
Through TechLink, you can license AI-driven innovations, such as real-time unmanned aerial vehicle guidance systems, automated target recognition, robotics for hazardous environments, advanced autonomous vehicle controls, and much more.
Biomedical Therapy Advancements
February is American Heart Month, and federal lab researchers are developing several technologies that advance civilian and veteran cardiovascular health.
For example, a new VA-developed cardiovascular therapy uses microRNA-133a modified macrophages to target inflammation. Early results from this innovation demonstrate reduced aneurysm growth and improved survival. See how it might benefit your business.
Technology Transfer in Action
Improving Eye Drop Application
Serial entrepreneur Michael Rain noticed his eyes feeling dry, scratchy, and uncomfortable after staring at his computer screen for several hours a day. Though there are dozens of eye drops on the market, Rain couldn't find any preservative-free options that suited his needs. He founded Rain Eye Drops LLC to create clean, soothing drops that don't contain harsh chemicals or redness removers.
Rain Eye Drops quickly became a hot-selling item, but there was one piece of consistent customer feedback: People were struggling to properly apply the eye drops. That led to frustration and wasted medication.
Dr. Julie Schallhorn, an ophthalmologist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs San Francisco Health Care System, noticed the same issue. She designed a simple device that makes applying single-use drops easier and more precise. A stabilizing bar rests on the cheekbone, ensuring proper alignment, while a hammer-shaped lever releases a single drop with gentle pressure.
Schallhorn patented her invention, and Rain learned about it through TechLink. We helped facilitate the licensing process between the VA and Rain Eye Drops. The company launched the RainDrop Dispenser Aid and offers it for free with every purchase of Rain Eye Drops, helping solve a problem millions of people face.
