• Licensing
• Industry-Lab Research Opportunities

Berkeley Lab's economic impact: please see our 2001 Economic Impact Report.

How to Work Together

The Technology Transfer Department acts as a focal point to foster productive relationships between Berkeley Lab research and the private sector. Over the past ten years Berkeley Lab has engaged in over 150 research partnerships. See examples of some of these partnerships here.

Research partnerships benefit both participating companies and the Lab. Companies gain access to cutting-edge science and multidisciplinary research capability not available elsewhere. By leveraging R&D dollars through a partnership, companies both increase their ROI and their corporate flexibility. The lab benefits through our researchers having first hand experience working on issues of interest to industry. Integrating the resources and areas of expertise of the Lab and a company frequently results in valuable research that often leads to additional funding for a particular research project.

If you or your company is interested in any of the following, please contact us at 510-486-6467 or ttd@lbl.gov.

• Identifying research areas of common interest
  
• Negotiating rights to Berkeley Lab's intellectual property
  
• Discussing current patent and copyright licensing opportunities
  
• Arranging to meet LBNL investigators

For specific technologies available for licensing, see Available Technologies.

These four steps will help you choose the technology transfer vehicles that will work best for your company.

1. Identify a need: Identify the problem your company needs solved or a general subject area in which you want to broaden the company’s expertise.

2. Make contact: The Technology Transfer Department can provide access to Berkeley Lab technology and help your company to develop relationships with Berkeley Lab scientists working on issues relevant to your interests.

3. Initiate discussion: Begin a dialogue with Berkeley Lab researchers and discuss intellectual property matters with the Technology Transfer Department.

4. Choose a mechanism: Choose to utilize the technology transfer method that best meets your needs.

See a comparison of different types of technology transfer mechanisms here.