In light of the diversified relationship between universities and TLOs, this presentation will introduce the ideal form of Shinshu TLO, which collaborates with regional universities, and its efforts to collaborate with other organizations as an external wide-area TLO and to develop professional human resources.

Techno Network Shikoku Co. Ltd (Common name is Shikoku TLO.) has been active as a technology transfer organization for universities in the Shikoku region as a wide-area TLO. Shikoku TLO operates on a “one-stop-shop” model, meaning that a single associate is in charge of the entire process from invention discovery to licensing agreement. Shikoku TLO's revenues from technology transfer are growing, and Shikoku TLO's strength lies in the fact that Shikoku TLO possesses specialized human resources. On the other hand, each university in Shikoku area has different policies, and Shikoku TLO is considering a shift from a uniform technology transfer model based on the regional characteristics and special features of each university. The advantage of the “one-stop-shop” model is that it is easy for inventors to build a relationship of trust because they do not have to change who they consult with, and this model should not be changed. On the other hand, the technology transfer process has an aspect such as a multi-skilled workforce that requires a variety of specialized skills, so support from experts in the process is necessary. We assume that it is necessary to have multiple experts, but we think that most universities have not reached the required amount of multiple expert (critical mass). TLOs in the “one-stop-shop” process are often in the position to be the first to identify inventions, and are in the position to determine whether to transfer technology to existing companies or to start up. For this reason, TLOs should be also active from a perspective that includes the support for entrepreneurship, and we believe that this is an important perspective for the future development of TLOs. However, we think that the current situation is that we have not yet sorted out how far we should be involved as TLOs for the segregation and transfer of duties. While recognizing the aforementioned issues, Shikoku TLO will continue to search for the ideal business model as a regional wide-area TLO.

The history and current status of Niigata TLO Inc. Niigata TLO started December, 2001 as certified TLO by Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) representing 18 universities in Niigata prefecture to initiate to create intellectual properties (IPs) and transfer the IPs to global industries. Niigata TLO was incorporated as the outside TLO (not as a TTO inside Niigata University) was very successful for the first five years (2004-2009) by transfer of substantial technology transfer followed by various grant projects, but, has gone through hardship due to conflict of policy between METI and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Niigata TLO has gone through restructure to survive in the unique way. Due to restructuring and unique line of business, Niigata TLO is currently specializing to develop very world top class hydrogen sensor for Fuel Cell (FC) industry to optimize FC efficiency, and supply of human Dendritic Cell line (PMDC05) for R&D of Oncology therapy and infectious disease, which was established in Niigata University. Niigata University has shifted their management policy to concentrate Collaborative research works with industry rather than R&D of original technology. Thereby, Niigata TLO lost incentive to tech-transfer of innovative technologies developed by Niigata University. As one of counter measure to the Niigata University policy, Niigata TLO founded the Start-up (UniBio Corp.) by use of Plant Bio technology in Japan in an attempt to create employment and activate local economy by introducing innovative technology to Japan. We would keep discussing with Niigata University to find out the most desirable dream to share in terms of academia-industry-government relationship between Niigata TLO and Niigata University.

In late years, university-industry research collaborating organizations are organized, and the efforts in various fields have been done for the purpose of realizing inventions and new technologies by the university researchers industrial application or social problems.

I suspect that many of the people involved are struggling because their efforts are not rewarded and they are not getting good reviews. Consider the problems and ideals of technology transfer from the viewpoint of “management of intellectual production” rather than from “organizational theory”. The forms of technology transfer between academia and industry can be broadly divided into ideas originating from universities and intellectual property resulting from joint research with companies. Results from research associations or public research funds belong to the latter category. In other words, research ideas originating from the unique ideas of university researchers are “cutting-edge ideas”, and are distinguished from other “outgoing ideas”. Here, we consider technology licensing organizations (TLOs) that have been approved by the government as “university-internal” TLOs that belong to “approved TLOs,” and consider their history, management, and later and current status. Other corporate organizations (stock companies, limited companies) will be discussed on another occasion as their financial structures are different. In the midst of the demand for technology that supports the creation of businesses with transformational impact, the source should be considered.

In this paper, we investigated the educational effect and current issues by taking the educational practice of PBL through industry-academia collaboration as an example. As a result, we were able to have a work experience that students cannot usually do through industry-academia collaboration. In addition, meeting people who work at local companies was an opportunity to think about future career plans as a role model. As an issue, since the coordination of industry-academia collaboration was entrusted to the students, there were many cases of the interests of schools and companies was insufficient. However, because of the problems which was arised, the students have become a real teaching material that grows solving those problems one by one.