The Current Situation Of Technology Transfer By Universities In Japan

It has been many years since the Japanese government started promoting the protection and development of intellectual property as a national strategy under the slogan of "intellectual property-based nation".  The field where intellectual property is created has expanded beyond the research and development department of large companies to venture companies and university research institutes. In this article, we will clarify the current status and challenges of technology transfer at Japanese universities, focusing on TLOs (Technology Licensing Organization), and how research results at universities are utilized.

I. What is technology transfer and what are TLOs?

1. Definition

Technology transfer is defined for someone or an organization which owns technology to transfer their technology to other people and organizations in the form of technology disclosure, technical guidance, technology transfer, and licensing.  The technology transfer agreement is usually