Many tech transfer offices measure the success of their startup licensing programs by deal count. Spinout licenses are faster to execute than corporate deals, and volume signals activity. But startup licensing comes with deferred returns, ongoing overhead, and significant opportunity cost. A high deal count can mask a portfolio full of zombie startups that never make it to market.
This session brings together tech transfer leaders from two of the country's most active university innovation programs alongside Renee Sanchez, Chief of Staff of Tradespace, whose platform serves 75% of U.S. research institutions. Together they will examine what it takes to build a startup licensing program that delivers tangible value. Attendees will explore how to vet technologies and founding teams for commercial viability, how to structure licensing agreements around milestones rather than royalty rates, and how to stay actively involved in post-license to maximize outcomes for both the university and its spinout partners.
Attendees will leave with a practical framework for shifting from volume-driven to value-driven startup licensing — one that protects institutional resources, strengthens industry partnerships, and ensures university innovations reach their fullest potential.
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Time: Noon – 1 p.m. ET
Successful tech transfer starts long before a licensing conversation. It begins with engaged faculty, visible science, and intentional connections between university innovation and industry need.
This panel will explore how TTOs can better identify promising research and position university technologies for successful commercialization. Panelists will share practical strategies for proactive scouting, faculty participation, and industry-focused marketing that help move innovations from the lab to real-world application. Topics will include understanding faculty motivations, measuring the effectiveness of outreach efforts, increasing technology visibility, interpreting industry decision-making, and strengthening connections with potential partners.
Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Time: Noon – 1 p.m. ET
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