Invention disclosure and approval to share
The office tracks the internal invention disclosure, review status and description cleared for negotiations. After approval, the licensing stage can be tracked separately from the underlying materials.
Custom Development
CRM for Technology Transfer Offices
A technology transfer office guides inventions from internal disclosure to conversations with prospective partners. We’ll build a CRM that shows the assessment stage, what can be disclosed and the next steps agreed with companies.
Where the link between an invention and negotiations breaks down
- Inventions and patents are tracked in separate registers, making it hard to match them quickly to market needs.
- Prospective licensees come from different sources and receive inconsistent follow-up.
- Negotiations can last months, and each stage, term and commitment needs to be recorded.
- Researchers may be unfamiliar with the process and need explanations and regular updates.
- Patent fee deadlines and agreement dates are easy to miss.
Technology portfolio, disclosure permissions and negotiations
These modules can be included in the project. We’ll agree on the scope and workflow rules after reviewing your processes.
Approved description for negotiations
The office approves public materials separately from the internal disclosure. When sharing them with a partner, it records the version and permitted scope.
Agreement terms and key dates
The manager tracks negotiation stages and agreed commitments. Reporting or payment deadlines can go to finance for reconciliation.
Additional Features
- History of materials shared with prospective partners
- The manager can record which company received the technology description, which version was approved and when a reply is expected. Requests for more information go to an authorized staff member. The record shows exactly what was cleared for sharing.
- Clarifying an invention disclosure
- The coordinator can ask the researcher about co-inventors or missing materials. If the reply changes the internal description, the owner reviews the negotiation version again. The history records who confirmed readiness.
- Confirming reporting obligations under an agreement
- The manager can track partner reporting deadlines and links to approved documents. A report missing required evidence goes back for clarification. Finance checks amounts in its own system and returns the agreed status.
CRM Workflow Examples
How teams can divide responsibilities and handle exceptions after rollout.
A new invention disclosure arrives
The analyst checks co-inventors and available materials. Before approaching partners, the responsible team approves what may be disclosed.
A company is interested in a pilot
The manager records the inquiry and arranges an internal meeting. After the decision, the company receives the approved materials, and the next action gets an owner and due date.
What to Include in the First Release
We’ll take one area of the portfolio and follow its milestones from submission to sharing materials with partners. The analyst reviews the invention record, legal approves access, and the manager handles negotiations. The pilot will cover a request for expanded access and a joint disclosure from several institutions.
Once we agree on the requirements, we design the screens, build a pilot, and try it against the agreed use cases. We plan the rollout and follow-on modules with your team.
Discuss the First PhaseDevelopment FAQ
How do we keep the public description separate from internal materials?
The record can hold a separate description cleared for distribution and links to restricted materials. The institution sets the approval rules.
Can the CRM track licensing negotiations?
The CRM can track the stage, owner, next action and agreed dates. Commitments under a signed agreement are recorded from the verified document.
How do we migrate invention disclosures and ongoing negotiations?
We’ll match internal disclosure numbers, owners and related negotiation records. On a sample, the office will confirm current description versions and next-action deadlines. We’ll verify permitted links for restricted materials.
What should a technology transfer office CRM pilot include?
We’ll follow one disclosure from internal submission through description approval and a reply to a prospective partner. The estimate depends on roles, access rules and approval stages. Tracking obligations under active licenses can be estimated separately.
Let’s discuss a technology transfer
Show us the stages your invention disclosure, partner materials and draft license go through.