Shares how CoMotion supports innovation at the University of Washington
Associate Vice Provost For Innovation Development & Commercialization
CoMotion Associate Vice Provost for Innovation Development & Commercialization Fiona Wills was recently a featured guest on the TechTransfer IP podcast. TechTransfer IP Forum is a website that shares information and resources to help universities patent their inventions. Hosted by Lisa Mueller, Fiona describes the support and services CoMotion provides to University of Washington innovators to help them move from idea to impact. These include IP strategy, streamlined startup licensing (Husky FAST Start), incubation at CoMotion Labs, funding and training. She also shares success stories about UW spinoffs and innovations licensed directly to the end user and how they range from patent, copyright and materials type projects. She also talks about the upcoming launch of the new hardware incubator on the UW campus.
For easier listening, we have provided links below to specific topics in this 42-minute podcast, beginning with the four focus areas CoMotion offers in support of innovation:
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- IP advising, protection and licensing
- Innovation training
- Funding and partnerships
- Startups and incubation
- Streamlined startup licensing
- How these four areas of support are built into everything we do
- Commercialization Fellows program
- CoMotion Mary Gates Innovation Scholars for undergrads
- How CoMotion’s office is structured (innovation development managers, patent and copyright specialists, business development, etc.)
- How many inventions disclosed in the last five years?
- Strategy of having researchers consult before disclosing
- How many licenses in last five years?
- Top earning inventions over last years
- Importance of supporting the innovators
- The role of corporate partnerships
- How partners contribute to the innovation ecosystem
- The importance of transparent, fair streamlined startup licensing (27:00 – 29:14)
- Spinoff success stories
- Biggest challenges – number one
- Biggest challenges – number two
- Seattle innovation ecosystem
- Women inventors; inclusivity
- Value of AUTM, Licensing Executives Society
- Importance of registered technology transfer credentials
- Three wishes
When asked what is most important when managing innovations to give them the greatest opportunity for success, Fiona shares: “Rather than thinking about managing the innovations, I encourage our teams to think about supporting the innovator instead. Certainly, there are activities like IP protection and licensing that are absolutely important, but the innovators are the key to successes. They’re the ones who bring the ideas in—we want them to come back and do it all over again with the next idea.”
Learn how CoMotion can support your innovation by requesting a consultation with an innovation manager today (requires NetID), and be a part of what helps to make the UW the #1 most innovative public university in the world.