Learn About UVAPF

Mission Statement

• To provide accessible, responsive, competent, timely and professional patenting and licensing services to U.Va. and its faculty and staff
• To serve as an efficient and effective conduit for the licensing of promising U.Va. technologies to industry, thus promoting their entry into the commercial marketplace, and also generating royalties that can further U.Va. research
• To support and encourage local economic development by licensing locally, by licensing to start-up companies, and by encouraging and supporting faculty start-up activities
• To serve as a resource for information about patents and licensing, and to encourage recognition that such matters have become meaningful and valuable aspects of university life
• To encourage greater integration between academia and industry, thereby improving the flow of innovative university technologies to the public marketplace

History

The University of Virginia Patent Foundation, then the University of Virginia Alumni Patents Foundation, was created in 1978 to manage the protection, licensing and negotiation of U.Va.'s intellectual property, which had previously been controlled by the director of the University Patents Program in the Office of the Assistant Vice Provost for Research. Established as a "University-related foundation" and non-stock, 501(c)3 corporation, the Patent Foundation was composed of three full-time personnel — the executive director, a business manager and one support staff member. Also established were a Patent Foundation board of directors — consisting of five U.Va. alumni — and a faculty advisory committee, which remain in existence today. The Board of Visitors approved the organization's name change, to the University of Virginia Patent Foundation, in 1993.

In 1997, Robert S. MacWright, J.D., Ph.D., was hired as executive director, and the Patent Foundation expanded under a new business model. By 1998, the Patent Foundation's licensing staff had increased to a team of five full-time professionals. In addition, the Patent Foundation hired two patent attorneys, a patent paralegal and a legal secretary to serve as an in-house patent department, the first of its kind at a university technology transfer office. Responsible for preparing and filing patent applications and monitoring outside counsel, the in-house patent department served to reduce patent costs, increase the number of applications filed, increase inventor satisfaction and relieve licensing staff to focus on deal-making. Indeed a great asset to the Patent Foundation and University, these in-house attorneys continue today to meet face-to-face with U.Va. inventors, visiting their labs and examining their experiments and prototypes in person. This practice leads to close personal collaboration, which in turn often results in better patents than could be developed over the phone or via e-mail with outside attorneys.

At this time, the Patent Foundation also expanded its offerings. By 1999, for example, the Patent Foundation began evaluating, protecting and licensing computer software. In addition, the Patent Foundation initiated several programs designed to educate the U.Va. and local communities about intellectual property issues, including the Law Student Patent and Licensing Clinic with the U.Va. School of Law and the graduate internship program, which remain active programs today.

In 2000, the Patent Foundation formed for-profit subsidiary Spinner Technologies Inc. to support U.Va. start-up companies. Through Spinner Technologies and angel investment fund Jefferson Corner Group I LLC, the Patent Foundation encourages and advises faculty entrepreneurs, provides affordable corporate laboratory and office space, and even provides start-up funding to young companies.

The Patent Foundation now employs approximately 20 full-time professionals. In addition to the aforementioned programs, the Patent Foundation today participates in a multitude of outreach activities, including the Technology Scout Program, in which the Patent Foundation proactively seeks out faculty likely to develop an invention at U.Va., and regular classroom participation.