Abstract
This paper is focused on a new type of university-industry research alliance in the US. These alliances, which we define as "open collaboration", operate under the principle that research results aren't patented, or that non-exclusive and royalty-free licenses are given if a patent is applied for. We conducted three case studies of open collaboration which are done with much funding from industry. The results of the case studies are explorations of the reasons why the open collaboration are formed and companies fund them. At the end of the paper, we present implications for university-industry relationships in Japan.
