Sciences, Engineering Join Therapeutics in UC San Diego “Express License” Program

Almost 160 active companies in San Diego County have been established by UC San Diego alumni, faculty and staff. With the launch of a second "Express License" program, founding a company with engineering or physical sciences technology invented at the university just got easier.

The Express License program developed by the university’s Technology Transfer Office provides pre-determined terms that effectively eliminate the lengthy customization process inherent in current licenses.

The first area to receive the benefit of the Express License at UC San Diego was the therapeutics field, which is serving as a pilot program. Now, the physical sciences and engineering join as similar pilot programs, with medical devices expected to follow quickly.

Expansion of the streamlined licensing alternative was announced by Vice Chancellor for Research Sandra Brown.

“Moving the discoveries and inventions of our scholars and scientists into the marketplace to improve lives and grow the economy is one of our most fundamental missions,” said Brown. “The Express License program helps us accomplish that mission more quickly and efficiently.”

“The Express License offers any entrepreneur the option to accept a set of standard terms for a complete licensing agreement, as opposed to negotiating each term one by one,” said Rick Cooper of Tech Coast Angels, one of the nation’s largest investors in early-stage entrepreneurs. “With the Express License program, entrepreneurs will save money on legal fees and precious time that can be put to good use in other aspects of starting their new ventures.”

Inventions that are candidates for the Express License program are reviewed by a committee consisting of the Vice Chancellor for Research, the dean of the Rady School of Management, the dean from the inventor’s department or academic unit, and the principal investigator of the invention. The director of the Conflict of Interest Office is an ex officio member of the committee, as is the licensing officer responsible for managing the invention.

The UC San Diego Express License program is available through the Technology Transfer Office website: invent.ucsd.edu. Download the application or review the license at this web link: http://invent.ucsd.edu/industry/express.shtml