Business Development
Consistent with the Standard NCE Network Agreement between AllerGen and your host institution, and the acknowledgment (Appendix A) signed by each investigator and trainee, Network investigators are to promptly disclose in writing to the Network Manager and their institutions Technology Transfer Office, any results of Network Research that the Network Investigator believes to have the potential to be commercialized.
Finally, at the time of disclosure, please remember to note any prior art which could limit the extent to which proposed and/or ongoing Network Research could be commercialized.
Here's how to tell whether you have an invention that is marketable:
1. You can easily descibe what prompted your research and why your invention outperforms existing products and/or meets an unsatisfied need. Put simply, your product does something existing products do not do, or it does something better than an existing product.
2. Testing has determined that the product works or you have promising initial test results and can reasonably predict when your testing will be complete.
3. You have a prototype, proof-of-concept or other tangible result. This shows your invention is advanced and makes evaluation easier for a potential business partner.
The next step is to put your vision to the test by sharing your ideas with an expert who has the right mix of academic and business experience - you can talk to your University Business Development Officer or one of the AllerGen contracted Business Development Analysts. Plese contact the Administrative Centre for contact details.
It usually does not take long to identify gaps and/or unexplored potential. For example, you could learn about competing products you had not considered previously or you could hear about markets and applications for your invention that you had not considered previously!