Recession Survival Strategies for TTOs

Recession Survival Strategies for TTOs: How to Grow Despite Budget Cuts and Economic Mayhem
Originally presented January, 2009

We’ll help you survive — even thrive — during the economic slowdown

I’ve spent hours phoning and e-mailing TTO directors across the country and the message is crystal clear: The economic downturn is on the minds of everyone, and tech transfer offices are not escaping the impact. Shrinking endowments funds, hiring freezes, budget cuts, scarce investment dollars — and more pressure than ever for results and licensing revenues.

It’s tempting to give in to the constant drone of bad news, hide in your office, and wait for better times. But we’d like to remind our tech transfer colleagues of a bit of wisdom that has stood the test of time:

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going”

The most successful organizations are great adapters — they adapt to changing market conditions good or bad, new competition, advances in technology, new laws and regulations, and fickle marketplace desires. In the boxing ring, a champion adapts his strategy to fit the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent. Well today, the recession is like a big, strong opponent who’s looming in the center of the ring. The only move you can make, as the referee says before a bout, is to shake hands and come out fighting.

Join Technology Transfer Tactics Distance Learning Division and Phyl Speser, JD, PhD, CEO and co-founder of ForeSight Science & Technology, for a one-of-a-kind presentation:

Recession Survival Strategies for TTOs:
How to Grow Despite Budget Cuts and Economic Mayhem

In this 90-minute webinar, Dr. Speser will deliver a powerful set of strategies and detailed guidance for TTO survival — and even growth — during the recession. You’ll learn:

How to position your research for government funding under the Obama administration
Where “market pull” is moving, and how to match that insight with your IP portfolio
How to weed through disclosures to focus your efforts on likely winners
Tips for reorganizing your TTO staff to improve the efficiency of licensing staff
Why it’s more important than ever to pinpoint technologies with a sustainable competitive advantage — and how to move them forward
Dealing with the license versus spin-out issue in the current economic context
Low-cost but effective ways to find, qualify, and approach licensees and investors
How to handle an ever increasing volume of work in a time of shrinking resources
And much more…

Meet Your Presenter:
Phyl Speser, JD, PhD, is co-founder, CEO, and CTO of Foresight Science & Technology, a Providence, RI-based consulting firm and solutions provider focused on successful commercialization of research. Recognized as one of the pioneers of modern technology transfer practice, Dr. Speser’s firm supports commercialization of around 800 new technologies each year. Earlier in his career he spent 10 years as a registered lobbyist representing science and technology associations. Probably his best known legislation is the law establishing the Small Business Innovation Research Program government wide. Dr. Speser has authored many publications on technology transfer and commercialization of research, including most recently “The Art and Science of Technology Transfer” published by John Wiley and Sons. He served two terms on the Board of the Technology Transfer Society, is a member of AUTM, the Product Development and Management Association, and LES where is is chair of the Strategic Alliance Committee. He is an adjunct professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School.

Who Should Listen
Technology transfer managers and professionals, university counsel, administrators and deans, research commercialization directors, licensing specialists, start-up managers, researchers and entrepreneurs, university research VPs, IP consultants, and others with an interest in TTO growth and success during the economic downturn.