An event designed to bring together inventors and congressional aides to spark activity in New York state’s high-tech sector, co-sponsored by Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D.-NY) and TechNet, a bipartisan network of high-tech and finance executives from across the state, underscored the fact that networking is a critical part of IP marketing — and including congressional representatives in those networks can be a vital part of that effort. “This is networking for us,” says Bradley P. Furhman, MD, professor of pediatrics and anesthesiology at the University at Buffalo (UB) and chief of critical care at Women & Children’s Hospital. “This is a chance to meet people who may have an idea of how to facilitate our project, how to use the power of our university [and] the power of the government to help bring it to market.” With his colleague Mark S. Dowhy, Furhman has invented a portable ventilator that can be used by more than one patient simultaneously, and could be useful during pandemics — although it won’t be on the market in time for the swine flu outbreak. “I’m hoping it creates jobs,” Gillibrand says. “When you highlight companies like this, and you bring staffs from all over the Congress, they can see what new innovations are being made, what new products are being created. And then when it’s time to apply for appropriations, to apply for grants, they’ll be more receptive to these kinds of applications.”

Indeed, money was on the minds of many of the innovators at the event. Furhman notes that his company, Medical Conservation Devices of Buffalo, has received a $900,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health for product development. But once it gets approval from the Food and Drug Administration, he will have to find more money to bring it to market. “We have a venture capital problem,” he concedes. “We would really like to develop this as a Western New York company.” Others saw the event more as a chance to mix, mingle and see what happens. “Just interacting with all the other folks from New York State who have displays here has been very useful, to find out the exciting things going on and how maybe we can network or work with them,” says Esther Sans Takeuchi, a UB engineering professor who recently won a National Medal of Technology and Innovation for her invention of the batteries used in many medical devices. During the event, dozens of congressional staffers milled about the Kennedy Caucus Room in the Senate Russell Building, checking out displays from Cornell University, Harris Corp., the Brookhaven National Laboratory and scores of other centers of innovation.

Source: The Buffalo News

Posted November 10th, 2009 under Intellectual Property Marketing

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