USU Files Record Number of Patents and Creates Several Successful Spin-outs in 2009

Utah State University's success as one of the state of Utah's flagship research institutions is evident in many ways, but in 2009 USU celebrates a record level of patent activity. Five new spin-out companies - spanning markets as diverse as paperless workflow and archeological services - are further evidence of USU's growing innovation activity. 

In fiscal year 2009, after receiving 80 idea disclosures from students and professors about potential inventions, a record number of 44 patents were filed and 11 patents were issued to USU. In addition, ten commercialized technologies were copyrighted at the university.

This is the most ever generated by USU's Technology Commercialization Office (TCO) in a single year. By comparison, in fiscal year 2008, 62 ideas were disclosed to the TCO, 26 patents filed and five patents were received by the TCO.

And while the number of patents received by USU's TCO continues to grow, the licensing of USU technologies, creating spin-out companies, is also on the rise.

In a new best for the university, USU spun-out five companies in fiscal year 2009. Two companies, Thermal Management Technologies and Eco Air Tech, were established by USU retired engineering professor Clair Batty.

Batty, the former head of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at USU, is a serial entrepreneur - meaning he uses the momentum from one spinout to get the next one underway. In 2009, Batty's company, TMT, was the first to license Space Dynamic Lab technology and create a for-profit company. Soon after, Batty created EcoAirtech, a company devoted to environmental impact migration, primarily in the oil, gas and power industries.

TMT's product line includes channeled cooling panels and flexible thermal links that were initially designed for space applications. However, the technology has broad commercial applications in the aerospace, aircraft, automobile, computer and electronics industries - markets TMT now has the opportunity to fully pursue.

Other USU spinout success stories include two companies created with education in mind. STEDI, LLC develops and distributes educational materials developed by USU's Substitute Teaching Institute. Likewise, Summit Research, LLC, focuses on the development of a web-based database system designed to help educators manage services for children with disabilities.

Recently, the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at USU spun out its first company, Utah State University Archeological Service, Inc. (USUAS). The company offers services in cultural resource management archaeology and provides employment and thesis opportunities for students in the new USU master of science degree program in anthropology (with a specialization in archaeology and cultural resource management). According to USUAS board member and USU anthropology professor Christopher Morgan, USUAS will offer high-quality archaeological services to clients and experience to USU students that other universities rarely do. USUAS recently began a large scale project to excavate sites along the Colorado River and assess damage caused by the release of water from the Glen Canyon Dam in Southern Utah.

Other USU spinouts seeing success in 2009 include Dynamic Screening Solutions, Inc., a Web-based paperless solutions company that streamlines the completion of multiple forms. DSS created the "Utah Clicks" system, licensed by the state of Utah, to alleviate excess paperwork required for application to a variety of state-run programs. Currently, DSS is rolling out a new product - 321Forms - to reduce the headaches associated with completing and processing human resources paperwork.

The Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative has also contributed to USU's innovation uplift. In March 2009, USTAR allocated $800,000 in ARRA funds for the USTAR Technology Commercialization Grant Program at the university. The program is designed to assist inventors and researchers in the final stages of idea implementation and drive the commercialization of technology forward at USU. Sixteen submissions were received in the first round, September 2009. Subsequent submission periods are December 2009, March 2010, and June 2010.

Ray DeVito, director of the Technology Commercialization Office at USU, is encouraged by the progress made in recent years.

"Utah State University continues to produce marketable technologies that benefit the local and state communities," said DeVito. "We are excited about the growth USU's TCO has experienced in the past year and the impacts this growth can have in making a difference in the lives of the Cache Valley community and in the lives of Utahns throughout the state."

From the standpoint of the TCO, momentum is building. The first quarter of FY2010 is looking good; disclosures are up from FY2009 and six patents have issued.

"Strategic Ventures and Economic Development was created in 2006 by President Albrecht, to ensure the cooperation between USU's Technology Commercialization Office, USTAR at USU and the USU Innovation Campus," said Ned M. Weinshenker, USU vice president for strategic ventures and economic development (SVED). "I'm delighted to see that vision coming to reality and creating these kinds of results that benefit the university, the community and the state of Utah."

For more information about USU's Technology Commercialization Office, visit its Web sites (http://tco.usu.edu; http://economicdevelopment.usu.edu) or follow on Twitter (http://twitter.com/USU_TechCom and http://twitter.com/USU_USTAR). Or contact Jacoba Mendelkow; Jacoba.mendelkow@usu.edu; 435-797-9608.

About USTAR

The Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR) is a long-term, state-funded investment to strengthen Utah's "knowledge economy" and generate high-paying jobs. Funded in March 2006 by the State Legislature, USTAR is based on three program areas. The first area involves funding for strategic investments at the University of Utah and Utah State University to recruit world-class researchers. The second area is to build state-of-the-art interdisciplinary facilities at these institutions for the innovation teams. The third program area involves teams that work with companies and entrepreneurs across the State to promote science, innovation, and commercialization activities. For more information, go to www.innovationutah.com or follow http://twitter.com/Innovationutah.