As UNeMed kicks off Innovation Week kicks off this morning with a reception in Durham Research Center Atrium, president and CEO Mike Dixon, Ph.D., talks with UNMC Today about the company’s role and how it can help campus innovators.
What can UNeMed do for researchers?
Fundamentally, we can help them experience the satisfaction of seeing their research benefit society. Secondarily, successful commercialization can bring financial support to the researcher and the university.
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Michael Dixon, Ph.D. |
In addition to licensing technology, UNeMed helps researchers establish mutually beneficial research projects with industry. We can:
- Handle many intellectual property-related agreements — such as Material Transfer and Confidential Disclosure;
- Fund small proof of concept studies; and
- Assist researchers in their negotiation of complex consulting agreements.
UNeMed also can help faculty entrepreneurs navigate the process of forming a new company, if that is the best approach to develop their technology.
Does it cost anything to use UNeMed?
No, all of our services are offered at no cost to university employees. Furthermore, if your technology is successfully protected and licensed, university inventors receive one-third of net revenues on top of their salary. This benefit continues for the life of the licensed technology — even if the inventor leaves the university.
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UNeMed serves all faculty and staff — basically anyone who has a novel idea that solves a “problem.” We’ve worked with nurses, surgeons, clinicians, accountants, teachers, janitors, artists and mail room personnel to pursue commercialization of new technology. Often some of the most practical and marketable inventions come from individuals who have developed solutions to problems they face every day. We also will work with alumni and inventors outside the university who want to have a positive effect on the community.
What is the main message you’d like people to know about UNeMed?
The sole purpose of UNeMed is to serve the UNMC faculty and staff by commercialization of their research. Call us — we want to help you succeed!