Berkeley Lab's research produces innovative technologies and inventions,
many with commercial value. Berkeley Lab's resources, expertise,
and project-oriented teams can enhance your company's R&D effort.
From acquiring technical assistance to licensing available technology,
there are many ways to work with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
A comparison of these types of opportunities is below. To discuss
the opportunities of working with Berkeley Lab, contact the Technology
Transfer Department or by phone at 510-486-6467.
Opportunities
|
Definition
|
Best
Used
|
Protection
of Information
|
Rights
in Intellectual Property
|
| Licensing |
Transfer
of rights to patented inventions, copyrighted software, maskworks
or tangible research products. May be exclusive or nonexclusive,
for broad or limited field of use, to be negotiated on a case-by-case
basis. |
When Berkeley
Lab has legal rights to a technology or software that fits an
industrial partner's business strategy, and the partner wants
to develop and commercialize the product/process. |
N/A |
Grants
rights under patents, copyrights, and maskworks to use Laboratory
inventions and software |
| Cooperative
Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) |
Research
and development projects that are supported by resource contributions
from both Berkeley Lab and industry, and have a specific technical
development focus with planned outcomes. |
When Berkeley
Lab, DOE, and industry have mutual interest in the development
of a technology area and cost sharing by the partners is appropriate. |
Commercially
valuable information generated under a CRADA may be kept confidential
up to 5 years. |
Industry-created
intellectual property retained by industry. Rights to Berkeley
Lab intellectual property created under a CRADA, negotiated
separately. The paricipating company is guaranteed at least
a no-fee option for a royalty-bearing field-of-use license to
Berkeley Lab inventions under the CRADA. |
| Sponsored
Research (Work For Others) |
Research
and development projects and technical assistance efforts that
are fully funded by private industry. Work must use a unique
capability of the Laboratory and not place the Laboratory in
direct competition with the private sector. |
When industry
has an immediate need for services, desires a high degree of
control over the scope of services and information provided,
and is willing and able to pay for the cost of services. |
Proprietary
data must be marked for protection |
Subject
to negotiation |
| User
Facility Agreement |
Allows
industry and university partners to conduct proprietary or nonproprietary
research at the Laboratory's unique experimental facilities. |
When partner
needs are best met through use of specialized equipment or facilities
at Berkeley Lab. |
Proprietary
data must be marked for protection |
User may
take title to inventions |
| Technical
Assistance |
Short-duration
(5 working days) effort focused on timely assistance to small
business partners with specific technical problems. Generally,
Berkeley Lab covers salary and payroll burdens of Laboratory
personnel that participate. |
To assist
small businesses that need technical assistance with unique
problems. Subject to available funding from DOE. |
NDA required
for protection. |
No |
| IPP |
|
Same as
CRADA, see above. |
Same as
CRADA, see above. |
Same as
CRADA, see above. |
| UC
Discovery Grant |
The UC
Discovery Grant provides $20 Million to match industry contributions
for research conducted at Berkeley Lab by LBL or UC employees. |
For high
risk, early stage research |
Same as
CRADA, see above. |
Built-in
option for a time-limited right to negotiate an exclusive commercial
license to any patentable inventions conceived and reduced to
practice under the UC Discovery Grant. |
| Visitor/Staff
Exchange |
Exchanges
of personnel between industry and Berkeley Lab for less than
one year. Berkeley Lab personnel are assigned to industry facilities
and/or industry assigns personnel to Berkeley Lab. |
When Berkeley
Lab and industrial partner have an interest in learning about
each other and sharing specific skills and expertise. The level
of effort and contractual obligations associated with staff
exchanges are typically less than those associated with CRADAs. |
No obligation
without separate agreement. |
Subject
to negotiation |
| Gifts |
A contribution given to the Lab for a researcher, project, department, division, or the Lab to generally support research, development, or any other Laboratory activity. |
When an individual or organization is interested in supporting work at LBNL and does not require reports, deliverables or IP rights. |
N/A |
All intellectual property arising from work supported by the gift remains property of LBNL.
|
| Information
Exchange |
The informal
and free exchange of information through publications, presentations,
briefings, workshops, and visits designed to inform potential
industry partners about the R&D activities and capabilities
of Berkeley Lab, and/or determine their needs. |
When potential
industry parters need to obtain initial information on Berkeley
Lab activities and capabilities |
N/A |
N/A |
