Marketing to Find a License
How does UCC Innovation market my inventions?
Commercialisation Case Managers use many sources and strategies to identify potential licensees and market inventions. Sometimes existing relationships of the inventors, the UCC Innovation staff, and other researchers are useful in marketing an invention. Market research can assist in identifying prospective licensees. We also examine other complementary technologies and agreements to assist our efforts. We use our website and other dedicated technology offering pages such as IN-PART and Knowledge Transfer Ireland to post inventions, leverage conferences and industry events, and make direct contacts. Faculty publications and presentations are often excellent marketing tools as well.
How are most licensees found?
Studies have shown that 70% of licensees were already known to the inventors. Thus, research and consulting relationships are often a valuable source for licensees. Licensees are also identified through existing relationships of UCC Innovation staff. Our licensees often license more than one technology from UCC. We attempt to broaden these relationships through contacts obtained from website posting inquiries, market research, industry events and the cultivation of existing licensing relationships.
How long does it take to find a potential licensee?
It can take months and sometimes years to locate a potential licensee, depending on the attractiveness of the invention, its stage of development, competing technologies, and the size and intensity of the market. Most UCC inventions tend to be in the early stage in the development cycle and thus require substantial commercialisation investment, which is a significant consideration for a potential licensee.
How can I assist in marketing my invention?
Your active involvement can dramatically improve the chances of matching an invention to an outside company. Your research and consulting relationships are often helpful in both identifying potential licensees and technology champions within companies. Once interested companies are identified, the inventor is the best person to describe the details of the invention and its technical advantages. The most successful tech transfer results are obtained when the inventor and the licensing professional work together as a team to market and sell the technology.
Can there be more than one licensee?
Yes, an invention can be licensed to multiple licensees, either non-exclusively to several companies or exclusively to several companies, each for a unique field-of-use (application) or geography.