Technology Transfer Office

TTO Office

The University of Pretoria’s Technology Transfer Office (UP TTO) was established in 2009 following promulgation of the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act, Act No. 51 of 2008 (the IPR Act). Since its establishment, the UP TTO has been striving to build a culture of innovation and technology transfer for the high-quality research capabilities of UP’s researchers, and has delivered value to its many stakeholders.

The UP TTO is also responsible for the implementation of UP’s Intellectual Property (IP) Policy. This policy deals with the ownership, benefit sharing and commercial exploitation of IP developed by students, staff and other parties associated with the University. According to this policy, the UP TTO, all academic research managers, staff members, students and the Department of Research and Innovation are responsible for identifying and disclosing IP created within the UP environment with a view to its exploitation through the UP TTO and in partnership with the inventor/s to the benefit of UP, its students, staff members and society.

This identification is formally captured by means of a written invention disclosure to the UP TTO by staff and/or student inventors. The University’s IP Policy provides that: “The full invention disclosure must be made to the UP TTO as soon as possible after a new and potentially useful product or process has been conceptualised, or a new plant variety has been developed, or when an unusual, unexpected or non-obvious research result, which has the potential of being commercially or otherwise applied, is obtained.” This ensures the maximal utilisation of new IP and avoids unnecessary delays in the publication of research findings.

In terms of the utilisation of inventions, the UP TTO assists UP staff and students with the following activities:

• Receiving and processing invention disclosures
• Conducting preliminary IP due diligence geared at establishing the patentability of the disclosed inventions
• Conducting market analysis of UP’s inventions 
• Undertaking preliminary patenting
• Protecting UP’s intellectual property
• Commercialising UP’s intellectual property

The mission and purpose of the UP TTO’s Commercialisation Office is to perform a primary function aligned to the objects of the IPR Act of 2008. The primary function of this office is the evaluation, valuation and commercialisation of IP.

The term “commercialization” generally means selling a product or service to a market for a monetary benefit. In the context of the University, commercialisation means licensing or assigning (selling) the IP (research outputs) or the creation of a spin-off company based on the University’s IP. The majority of its transactions are IP licenses in exchange for monetary benefits such as royalties. However, the office is not reluctant to consider an IP assignment transaction (subject to NIPMO approval), provided it is valuated fairly, reasonably and objectively by all the parties involved, including an independent IP valuer.

The commercialisation of IP at UP can be done through the direct and indirect exploitation of IP. A company or individual that wishes to license-in or acquire the University’s IP needs to complete a license term sheet, submit a business plan and furnish a presentation or pitch so that they can be interrogated by the Commercialisation Committee. Following the committee’s approval, the parties will engage in further negotiations and draft a license agreement. The signing of this agreement by all the parties will officially conclude the commercialisation transaction.

The Commercialisation Office’s secondary function is the facilitation, enablement and support of technology development funding. The two main funding instruments that the office targets and manages are the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)’s seed funding and the TIA’s technology development funds.

Upon the release of a call for applications, the Commercialisation Office disseminates the information and facilitates the application process. This entails the collection of applications, organisation of selection committee, submission of applications to the funder, communication of the application outcome to applicants, coordinating the invoicing and payment by the funder, and ensuring that project cost centres are created. It then disburses funds into the project cost centres.

Once a project achieves the status of “proof of concept” and an invention disclosure is submitted, the project is considered for follow-on funding in the form of technology development funds so that the technology can be developed further to reach a higher technology readiness level that is closer to market readiness.

Unit Manager

Do you have an invention to commercialise?

Click here to learn more about the University of Pretoria’s Invention Disclosure process.

Click here to learn more about the University of Pretoria’s Intellectual Property Management Guidelines.

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