New Brunswick, NJ - According to Matthew Fazelpoor, "Rutgers’ Office for Research Innovation Ventures announced Feb. 7 that it will participate in a technology transfer partnership with the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU). Rutgers said the move is part of an effort to expand and enhance the state’s research and innovation ecosystem, and to help advance these schools’ entrepreneurial efforts. As part of the agreement, Innovation Ventures, which is responsible for all Rutgers’ technology commercialization and transfer, will provide information and guidance to eight New Jersey state colleges and universities: Kean University, Montclair State University, New Jersey City University (NJCU), Ramapo College, Stockton University, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), Thomas Edison State University and William Paterson University."
Rutgers said it will help guide these schools on processes related to intellectual property, such as patenting, licensing and overall commercialization, in hopes of helping the institutions transform their innovations into products, services and partnerships.
Better togetherMichael Zwick, senior vice president for research, Rutgers Office for Research, said that this partnership promotes a more inclusive ecosystem and encourages collaboration among researchers.
“Rutgers research is a key cog in the New Jersey innovation ecosystem, and the university takes that responsibility very seriously,” said Zwick.
Deborah Perez Fernandez, acting executive director for Innovation Ventures, said her group is proud to lead the effort on the Office of Research’s behalf.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship are and always have been a group effort, and this joint venture will help foster potential collaborations between researchers across all institutions,” said Perez Fernandez.
The idea for the partnership came from the NJASCU, whose members are becoming more involved in the innovation and entrepreneurship space.
“Our institutions are getting more involved in the research and innovation space, but they lack a sophisticated tech transfer infrastructure,” said Gene Lepore, executive director of NJASCU. “We thought there might be an opportunity to work with one of our research peer institutions in this area, and of course Rutgers, as the research flagship, was at the top of the list. We are extremely grateful that Rutgers’ Office for Research through its Innovation Ventures department agreed to share their research infrastructure, knowledge, and experience with us.”
The collaboration will begin as a one-year trial to better understand the volume of research and technology transfer taking place at each of the members to gauge their needs.
Lepore added that he is appreciative of the time and work Rutgers has put into this endeavor.
“Rutgers is embracing its role as the flagship research institution of the State of New Jersey, sharing its resources with smaller schools who are growing and developing a larger research portfolio, for no monetary compensation, and for that we are grateful,” said Lepore.
Better togetherMichael Zwick, senior vice president for research, Rutgers Office for Research, said that this partnership promotes a more inclusive ecosystem and encourages collaboration among researchers.
“Rutgers research is a key cog in the New Jersey innovation ecosystem, and the university takes that responsibility very seriously,” said Zwick.
Deborah Perez Fernandez, acting executive director for Innovation Ventures, said her group is proud to lead the effort on the Office of Research’s behalf.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship are and always have been a group effort, and this joint venture will help foster potential collaborations between researchers across all institutions,” said Perez Fernandez.
The idea for the partnership came from the NJASCU, whose members are becoming more involved in the innovation and entrepreneurship space.
“Our institutions are getting more involved in the research and innovation space, but they lack a sophisticated tech transfer infrastructure,” said Gene Lepore, executive director of NJASCU. “We thought there might be an opportunity to work with one of our research peer institutions in this area, and of course Rutgers, as the research flagship, was at the top of the list. We are extremely grateful that Rutgers’ Office for Research through its Innovation Ventures department agreed to share their research infrastructure, knowledge, and experience with us.”
The collaboration will begin as a one-year trial to better understand the volume of research and technology transfer taking place at each of the members to gauge their needs.
Lepore added that he is appreciative of the time and work Rutgers has put into this endeavor.
“Rutgers is embracing its role as the flagship research institution of the State of New Jersey, sharing its resources with smaller schools who are growing and developing a larger research portfolio, for no monetary compensation, and for that we are grateful,” said Lepore.
