Our Office

The Office of Technology Commercialization at Rensselaer supports researchers in protecting intellectual property and bringing inventions into the commercial marketplace. We are dedicated to building relationships with commercial partners to benefit Rensselaer and the broader community.

What we do:

• Evaluate new technologies for patentability and marketability
• Advise researchers throughout the intellectual property protection process
• Prosecute patents, copyrights and trademarks
• Identify industry fit and potential licensees for technology
• Extend licenses for patents, copyrights, trademarks and end use software

Message from the Director

The Office of Technology Commercialization has changed to better support the research community and to add value to research efforts. With the addition of new staff and a new organizational structure, we are prepared to accomplish the intellectual property and technology commercialization objectives in the Rensselaer Plan. Given the growth in research volume, the addition of faculty and constellations, and the opening of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, we anticipate a corresponding increase in the number of invention disclosures. We are ready to respond.

The OTC, along with the Incubator Program, is now organized within a portfolio called Intellectual Property, Technology Transfer and New Ventures under Executive Director Ron Kudla. The mission of this new unit is to manage Rensselaer's intellectual property, from protection to marketing to licensing, and to facilitate the generation of successful new ventures.

The OTC has implemented a thorough evaluation process to ensure that the appropriate technologies with high-value commercial potential are selected. We believe our expanded focus on marketing and technology bundling will further improve our chances for success.