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We're Live!

March 15 - 18, 2021

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Conference Points

Monday

Monday

11:45 am

12:00 pm

AUTM Today

AUTM Today – Daily Update

Summary: Leef Smith Barnes, AUTM Chief Marketing Officer, walks you through the day’s can’t-miss highlights. Joining her will be Jon Jensen, of AUTM’s Annual Meeting Planning Committee, who will share tips for getting the most out of your conference experience; And AUTM Immediate Past Chair Rich Chylla, who will share details on this year’s Better World Project Award finalists.

Monday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

ET

Keynote Session

Welcome Address

Summary: AUTM Chair Marc Sedam will talk about 2020 and present several high-profile awards. AUTM CEO Steve Susalka will speak on the Association’s response to COVID.

Monday

1:15 pm

2:00 pm

Educational Session

1A – Public Policy—The Next Five Years

Summary: This session will explore potential near term changes in public policy that impact technology transfer.

Monday

1:15 pm

2:00 pm

Educational Session

1B – Flex Your Soft Power: Impact from Social Sciences

Summary: Think about the problems our children will face all screaming for solutions not only based on technology, but also from leadership and social science innovations. In this session, we will bring together leaders around the world who have started to take action, to share their vision, strategy, and best practices on commercialization and creating impact from innovations in social sciences.

Monday

1:15 pm

2:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

1D – Expanding Innovation

Summary: Join this session to obtain insights into the National Council of Expanding American Innovation (NCEAI) and to learn about collaborative programs and initiatives addressing the need for diversity across the innovation ecosphere.

Monday

1:15 pm

2:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

1F – Inventor Portals: Invention Disclosures and Beyond

Summary: This session will present the experiences of several TTOs that have online disclosure systems and other components of inventor portals using a variety of systems, including Sophia, Inteum, Innovate IP, and proprietary systems.

Monday

1:15 pm

2:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

1G – Leveraging Researcher Directed Initiatives to Drive Improved Commercialization Prospects

Summary: In this session, we will explore the relationship dynamics between the TTO and researchers when translational research acceleration and collaboration programs are established, provide advice gained from engagement at their universities, while highlighting pathways that worked best between researchers and their offices to drive commercial partnerships.

Monday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

1RA – Roundtable Discussion: Navigating the University Innovation Ecosystem through COVID-19 Disruption(s)

Summary: In this roundtable, university technology managers and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) leaders will discuss lessons learned, best practices, and USPTO responses and resources for navigating the university innovation ecosystem through this time of disruption.

Monday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

1RB – Roundtable Discussion: Spyglass and Hammer: Making Sure Licensees Do as They Promise

Summary: This panel, with experienced enforcement staff from the National Institutes of Health, academic labs, and a patent-license auditing firm, well examine ways to manage the tasks of monitoring and enforcement, and tools available to enhance efficiency.

Monday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

1RC – Roundtable Discussions: Table Talk

Summary: Join and network with industry leaders in facilitated, interactive, roundtable discussions. Actively engage and brainstorm on relevant and diverse topics sure to appeal to a varied group of attendees.

Monday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

1RD – Roundtable Discussion: New to Tech Transfer?

Summary: This session is an opportunity to share with your peers, in a low-risk environment, the challenges and opportunities of your new role in technology transfer.

Monday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

Roundtable Discussions

1RE – Roundtable Discussion: Industry Open Mic Discussion

Summary: This informal setting, will cover topics ranging from the difference between relationship building and transaction strategies.

Monday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

1RF – Roundtable Discussion: Accounting in Technology Transfer Offices

Summary: In this session, we will discuss accounting and finance issues in a tech transfer office.

Monday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

1RG – Central Region – Discussion Group

Summary: This session is an opportunity to connect with your peers from the Central Region.

Monday

3:15 pm

4:15 pm

ET

Keynote Session

Studio Interview with Daren Tang

Summary: Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), joins AUTM CEO Steve Susalka in a Studio Interview. Director Tang began his six-year mandate as Director General in October.

Tuesday

10:45 am

11:00 am

AUTM Today

AUTM Today – Daily Update

Summary: Leef Smith Barnes, AUTM Chief Marketing Officer, helps you navigate day two of our virtual conference highlights. Joining her will be Tim Boyle, Chair of the Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals, to discuss why now is the perfect time to apply for RTTP certification; And AUTM Board Member Tari Suprapto who will share details of today’s Connect and Collaborate session — your chance to discover what companies are looking for and improve your chances of dealmaking success.

Tuesday

11:15 am

12:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

2A – Post-COVID Tech Transfer: Planning for the Paradigm Shift

Summary: Tech transfer has “new normals” that all AUTM professionals and leadership are adapting to and still planning for. From the perspective of leaders of tech transfer offices, angel investment networks, and industry, this session will explore those things which are “smoke and mirrors” and which are “paradigm shift”.

Tuesday

11:15 am

12:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

2B – Top 10 Mistakes Commonly Made When Drafting and Negotiating Patent License Agreements (CLE Eligible)

Summary: Reported decisions from court cases expose, for all to see, mistakes commonly made when drafting and negotiating patent license agreements. Court decisions also reveal a failure to recognize that different terms have different legal meaning, e.g. assignment vs. change of control. We will explore these issues and others.

Tuesday

11:15 am

12:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

2C – Derisking: Different Schools, Different Paths

Summary: Join us to learn how Purdue University, University of Notre Dame and Wisconsin are experimenting with disruptive, novel approaches to advance technologies to tackle this problem.

Tuesday

11:15 am

12:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

2D – Bio2Bio: Biodiversity for Survival via Biomedicine

Summary: This session aims to understand new ways to overcome the challenges of protecting biodiversity and create a sustainable, commercially viable model to protect and screen molecular diversity for biomedical research that benefits all humanity. Join our discussion that answers the question: How do we promote biodiversity for survival via biomedicine?

Tuesday

11:15 am

12:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

2F – No one wants a “Letter.” Techniques for understanding existing reporting efforts and increasing Bayh-Dole compliance.

Summary: In this session, we will walk you through improvements made to federal compliance efforts at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures.

Tuesday

11:15 am

12:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

2G – Successfully creating and managing a Proof of Concept Fund for early stage technologies

Summary: Join this panel session to learn how to leverage university, governmental, commercial funds to create and manage a PoC fund and match fund it to increase the value of your technology, find a licensee or generate investment for your spin-out faster and more efficiently.

Tuesday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

Exhibits

Sponsored Session: Reimagining tech transfer with Cayuse Inventions

Summary: This session is provided by a paid sponsorship of Cayuse Inventions. In this session you’ll get a chance to hear how Duke University is minimizing non-compliance, improving funding potential, accelerating commercialization, all while improving the experience for all involved in tech transfer. Join Cayuse CEO, Matt McLellan, along with Duke’s Office of Licensing and Ventures Executive Director, Robin Rasor, as they share about the impact of Cayuse’s newest app – Cayuse Inventions.

Tuesday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

2RA – Roundtable Discussion: Small but Mighty – A Small Office Support Group

Summary: The AUTM Successful Practices in Small Technology Transfer Offices Committee invites you to this “support group” for people just like you.

Tuesday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

2RB – Roundtable Discussion: Faculty Start-ups, Conflict of Interest and Alignment of Interests

Summary: In this session, we will discuss the various conflicts and explore possible strategies for minimizing them when negotiating the deal, and managing the conflicts that arise while protecting the interests of the university.

Tuesday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

2RC – Roundtable Discussion: (Not So) Difficult Tech Transfer Conversations

Summary: When preparing for high-stakes conversations, meetings and presentations, we often spend a great deal of thought on what we will say. We’re usually diligent in preparing the content. However, what makes difficult conversations difficult is not simply the content… it’s the context.

Tuesday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

2RD – Roundtable Discussion: The World of Software and Copyright Licensing

Summary: Are you interested in software licensing? Bring your software/copyright issues and problems with you! Join this lively discussion to share experiences and get guidance from peers.

Tuesday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

2RE – Roundtable Discussion: How to Integrate Social Innovation into Your Tech Transfer Office

Summary: In this session, well demonstrate that social innovation is not only an enrichment of tech transfer tasks but also a potential source of revenue and reputation.

Tuesday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

2RF – Western Region – Discussion Group

Summary: This session is an opportunity to connect with your peers from the Western Region.

Tuesday

12:15 pm

1:00 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

2RG – Roundtable Discussion: Career Development Forum: Get the 411 on a Gig in TT

Summary: If you’re thinking about your future professional goals or are new to the profession and would like to know about options within the field, this session is for you!

Tuesday

7:00 pm

8:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

After Hours Session: Talent Recruitment in a Virtual Environment

Summary: Join your colleagues for this after-hours discussion on recruiting talent to your office in a virtual environment. Bring your questions and experiences to this evening discussion group to learn, network and commiserate.

Wednesday

8:00 am

9:00 am

ET

Networking

International Collaborations

Summary: Join colleagues from around the world to share the unique challenges and opportunities in your part of the world.

Wednesday

10:45 am

11:00 am

AUTM Today

AUTM Today – Daily Update

Summary: Leef Smith Barnes, AUTM Chief Marketing Officer, takes a look at day three of our virtual conference. Leef talks with Megan Aanstoos, Chair of AUTM’s Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee, on the suite of conference programming centered on EDI; And Glen Gardner, President of Vortechs Group, a TT recruitment firm, to offer tips on getting the job you want in tech transfer.

Wednesday

12:30 pm

1:15 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

3RA – Roundtable Discussion: Well It’s Got to be Put Somewhere: Distributing Revenue

Summary: This session will be a roundtable discussion about all things and anything related to revenue distribution. Join us for a chance to swap questions and answers and stories with other TTO Finance professionals as we tackle this complex subject.

Wednesday

12:30 pm

1:15 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

3RB – Roundtable Discussion: Plant Licensing and Intellectual Property Protection

Summary: This is a meeting of plant licensing professionals and others who share an interest in plant (and agriculture) licensing and intellectual property (IP) protection.

Wednesday

12:30 pm

1:15 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

3RC – Roundtable Discussion: Healthcare Data: The New Form of Intellectual Property

Summary: In this session, we will discuss for-profit and not-for-profit business models for utilizing predictive outcomes and metadata generated from the research data. Data per se cannot be protected through intellectual property, but healthcare outcomes using data can be protected and used successfully in a business model. We will also cover strategies for protecting artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics protection.

Wednesday

12:30 pm

1:15 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

3RD – Roundtable Discussion: The True Cost of Startups

Summary: Join us for a discussion of the resources your institution should have at the ready to support faculty start-ups and to de-risk the activity for all of those involved.

Wednesday

12:30 pm

1:15 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

3RE – Roundtable Discussion: Approaches to Training New Hires

Summary: This roundtable discussion will focus on key points and current practices for effectively bringing new hires up to speed, including internship programs, mentoring, task priorities, and training materials.

Wednesday

12:30 pm

1:15 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

3RG – Eastern Region – Discussion Group

Summary: This session is an opportunity to connect with your peers from the Eastern Region.

Wednesday

2:00 pm

2:45 pm

ET

Educational Session

3A – Driving Diversity and Inclusion for A More Successful Innovation Strategy

Summary: In this session, panelists will share their experiences (and perspectives) on driving diversity and inclusion in the innovation landscape; some challenges encountered and how they overcame them; as well as how access to opportunities and building diverse teams contribute positively to building better business value.

Wednesday

2:00 pm

2:45 pm

ET

Educational Session

3B – How to Use SBIR/STTR Funding to Commercialize University Research and the Federal Programs that Help

Summary: In this session, tech transfer leaders will discuss how they helped start-ups access some of the $3.5 billion in annual Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) funding to transition university-based research.

Wednesday

2:00 pm

2:45 pm

ET

Educational Session

3C – Other Duties as Assigned: Data Management for Stakeholders

Summary: Join us for a discussion of lessons learned for managing tech transfer office (TTO) data, including the audit of both historic and current, transitioning to new systems, connecting with other institutions, and planning for the current and future needs and goals of a TTO along with an ever-expanding net of TTO stakeholders.

Wednesday

2:00 pm

2:45 pm

ET

Educational Session

3E – Openness vs. Safeguarding: The Foreign Influence Dilemma

Summary: Concerns about foreign interference, research security threats and economic espionage at US universities are growing, especially the theft of intellectual property. In this session, we will explore these issues and tensions, with a particular focus on the impact of security and foreign threats on technology transfer within the US.

Wednesday

2:00 pm

2:45 pm

ET

Educational Session

3F – The Dilemma of Software Inventions and Associated Data in the Age of AI

Summary: Tech managers are often faced with challenges in the form of decisions such as: whether to pursue copyright or patents; whether to release software as open source (copyleft) or copyright; considerations for data ownership, data sharing, data protection and compliance; and most importantly which avenues to pursue for commercialization. In this session, we will provide tools and approaches for tech managers to tackle such challenges, and introduce best practices to manage and commercialize software inventions.

Wednesday

3:00 pm

3:45 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

4RA – Roundtable Discussion: University Start-up License Packages: Favorable Deal Terms and Business Development Support

Summary: This session will focus on the benefits offered by universities, how the TTOs achieved the institutional support to fund the programs, and the early successes of these new programs.

Wednesday

3:00 pm

3:45 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

4RB – Roundtable Discussion: The New Era of Synthetic Biology

Summary: The discussion will also explore trending areas in which synthetic biology is changing industry, adding commercial value and attracting venture capital funding. Strategies for managing IP and licensing these assets will also be discussed. Join the roundtable to hear more about these topics and share your thoughts.

Wednesday

3:00 pm

3:45 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

4RC – Roundtable Discussion: Facilitating Partnerships Between Nonprofit Funders and Research Institutions (the NFRI Initiative)

Summary: This Roundtable will inform participants about NFRI activities and progress, NFRI-developed tools to address challenges faced by both “”sides””, and observations and experiences of key NFRI leaders.

Nonprofit Funder Research Institution Partnership (NFRI)

Wednesday

3:00 pm

3:45 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

4RD – Roundtable Discussion: Beautiful Encounters: Adding Extraordinary Value

Summary: This session will explore approaches to support potentially groundbreaking opportunities that are too early for many, for which traditional patent and licensing strategies may not work, and where an opportunity will likely die without the life support that a committed, imaginative and capable knowledge exchange/technology transfer team can offer.

Wednesday

3:00 pm

3:45 pm

ET

Roundtable Discussions

4RF – Canadian Region – Discussion Group

Summary: This session is an opportunity to connect with your peers from the Canadian Region.

Wednesday

3:00 pm

3:45 pm

ET

Exhibits

Sponsored Session: Meet UTLP – The new multi-university licensing collaboration model

Summary: This session is provided by a paid sponsorship of Burford Capital. Fifteen universities have created the University Technology Licensing Program (UTLP) (www.utlp.net), a platform for licensing complementary intellectual property across the multiple universities. Unlike traditional patent pools, UTLP is not limited to a particular standard-essential technology, or even one particular area of technology. UTLP aims to overcome the challenges of licensing non-standardized technologies by providing an efficient yet flexible “one-stop-shop” for potential licensees. Join our panel to meet UTLP’s leadership and hear more about this groundbreaking program.

Wednesday

4:15 pm

5:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

4A – Lead Like an Ally

Summary: In this talk, inclusive leadership TEDx speaker, Julie Kratz will share stories, ideas, and research from her book, Lead Like an Ally: A Journey Through Corporate America with Strategies to Facilitate Inclusion, with proven strategies for diversity and inclusion.

Wednesday

4:15 pm

5:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

4B – PCT & TTOs: what you need to know

Summary: Make sure that the understanding of PCT practice in your organization remains up to date, learn PCT best practices from a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) expert, and hear how the PCT plans to develop in the future.

Wednesday

4:15 pm

5:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

4C – Evolution of Metrics: All Dollars and No Sense

Summary: How do you measure success in your tech transfer office? We will discuss the evolution of office metrics over the past decade.

Wednesday

4:15 pm

5:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

4E – Helping Start-ups From Low-capital Intensive Regions Attract Investment

Summary: In this session, well discuss how start-ups in these other regions can grow and develop the university technologies they’ve licensed. Well share unique programs and methods that help start-ups attract investment and other forms of capital. As universities launch more start-ups, technology transfer offices in various regions need to develop ways to help these growing numbers of start-ups gain access to investment.

Wednesday

4:15 pm

5:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

4G – Biotech Patents in China, Covid-19, and the Curious Case of Wuhan’s Institute of Virology

Summary: In this session, we’ll cover the state of pharmaceutical patent protection in China (including pending patent law amendments) and discuss what we know about the Institute’s application, Gilead’s pending Chinese application and its related patent family and the patent examination race within China’s patent office.

Thursday

10:45 am

11:15 am

AUTM Today

AUTM Today – Daily Update

Summary: Leef Smith Barnes, AUTM’s Chief Marketing Officer, helps you navigate the final day of our virtual conference. Included are interviews with John Miner, incoming Chair of AUTM’s Metrics and Surveys portfolio, who shares the importance of contributing your data to the survey, Alisa Band, Chair of AUTM’s Industry Advisory Group, to talk about today’s Partnering Forums — an opportunity for academic TT professionals and industry to connect on business development and investment, and Omar Zhar, Chair of AUTM’s Membership Development Committee, to chat about Association Membership.

Thursday

11:30 am

12:45 pm

Keynote Session

VCs Talk Back

Summary: In this session, we’ll discuss the ways to create win-win outcomes when VCs and TTOs work together to launch world-changing startups. We’ll provide an overview of the key issues in university startup term sheets, best practices for structuring equity, royalties, and milestones, common points of friction around sublicensing, know-how royalties and diligence, and other recommendations. You don’t want to miss it.

Thursday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

5B – MTAs: The Need for Speed

Summary: This session will feature case studies showing how automation with the AUTM MTA Toolkit and other standard templates eases the burden on technology transfer offices and promotes the sharing of research materials.

Thursday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

5C – Successful TTOs on Both Sides of the Atlantic

Summary: In this session, we will review findings from the EU-funded PROGRESS-TT study (Public Research Organizations GRowing Europe through best practice SolutionS for Technology Transfer), present potential intervention opportunities for performance success, and hear practical tips for growing TT capacity.

Thursday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

5D – Ways to Help Women and Junior Faculty Be Engaged as TT Entrepreneurs

Summary: In this session, you will learn about emerging methods to assist younger and women academic members in licensing and spinning off companies.

Thursday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

5E – Recent Developments in Chinese Technology Transfer

Summary: In this session, youll gain a better understanding of the technology transfer scene in mainland China and Hong Kong. We will cover the 2015 Chinese legislation (similar to the US Bayh-Dole Act) and how it’s being implemented.

Thursday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

5F – Diagnostics, Patent Ineligibility, and Covid-19 Testing Failures (CLE Eligible)

Summary: This panel will explore the early failures of Covid-19 testing.

Thursday

2:15 pm

3:00 pm

ET

Educational Session

5G – The Diversity Gap: Inventorship and Industry Advantage

Summary: In this session, we will discuss approaches for technology transfer professionals in industry and academia for promoting greater numbers of disclosures and patent activity among women faculty/employees, a shift that has been reported to result in an increase in successful, profitable female-led businesses, as well as more diverse successful businesses across the country.

Thursday

3:15 pm

3:45 pm

AUTM Today

Closing Ceremony

Summary: Join us in closing out the 2021 Annual Meeting. We’ll conduct AUTM’s brief business meeting and hear from incoming AUTM Chair, Laura Savatski, who will share her vision for AUTM in the coming year.