The iBridge Network
Encyclopedia
The iBridge Network is a Web
-based mechanism for the dissemination of innovations such as research
results and reports, computer software
and other copyright
ed works, biological
research materials, and patent
ed invention
s. It is implemented as a database
with Web interfaces and electronic commerce
capabilities. As of 2007, providers are predominantly universities
and their individual researchers, although federal laboratories and for-profit organizations are also encouraged to contribute. Intended adopters are other researchers and entrepreneurial individuals, groups, and organizations.
The model underlying the iBridge Network is that aggregating research results and inventions from multiple institutions and establishing simple ways to search and transact will increase the flow of innovation to entrepreneurial actors for further development, application and delivery to society.
In operation, researchers and their institutions post descriptions of their results and inventions on the iBridge Network site and set terms of transfer. Prospective adopters search for and review non-confidential summaries of available innovations, agree to terms of transfer, and download an item directly from the site (in the case of electronic media such as software, data, or reports) or arrange for delivery from the provider (in the case of biological research materials or other tangibles). At the option of the provider, innovations may be acquired without special terms or may require acceptance of an electronic license, and may be without charge or fee-based. Any provider charges are payable by e-commerce mechanisms, but the Network itself is a non-profit enterprise.
The iBridge Network goes beyond earlier experiments in expediting technology transfer
in several ways:
The first realization of the iBridge Network was a 2005-2006 pilot project joining seven U.S.
universities by the Kauffman Innovation Network, Inc., an initiative of the Ewing
Marion Kauffman Foundation. Starting in 2007, additional universities in the U.S. and abroad were invited to join, with attention to smaller institutions, for which a confederated approach might increase the visibility and outflow of innovations.
Future growth of the iBridge Network model depends on increasing the number of institutions that list their innovations; the ease with which other researchers, companies, and entrepreneurs can find and acquire innovations through the Network; and the degree to which a network transaction process can partially replace, or in some cases improve on, traditional methods of technology transfer
.
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
-based mechanism for the dissemination of innovations such as research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
results and reports, computer software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
and other copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
ed works, biological
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
research materials, and patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed invention
Invention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
s. It is implemented as a database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
with Web interfaces and electronic commerce
Electronic commerce
Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce, eCommerce or e-comm, refers to the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. However, the term may refer to more than just buying and selling products online...
capabilities. As of 2007, providers are predominantly universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
and their individual researchers, although federal laboratories and for-profit organizations are also encouraged to contribute. Intended adopters are other researchers and entrepreneurial individuals, groups, and organizations.
The model underlying the iBridge Network is that aggregating research results and inventions from multiple institutions and establishing simple ways to search and transact will increase the flow of innovation to entrepreneurial actors for further development, application and delivery to society.
In operation, researchers and their institutions post descriptions of their results and inventions on the iBridge Network site and set terms of transfer. Prospective adopters search for and review non-confidential summaries of available innovations, agree to terms of transfer, and download an item directly from the site (in the case of electronic media such as software, data, or reports) or arrange for delivery from the provider (in the case of biological research materials or other tangibles). At the option of the provider, innovations may be acquired without special terms or may require acceptance of an electronic license, and may be without charge or fee-based. Any provider charges are payable by e-commerce mechanisms, but the Network itself is a non-profit enterprise.
The iBridge Network goes beyond earlier experiments in expediting technology transfer
Technology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
in several ways:
- greater emphasis on one-to-many transfers (non-exclusive licenses)
- aggregation of innovations from multiple research institutions
- permission and functionality for transactions directly between an innovation provider and the network and directly between the network and an adopter (disintermediation)
- options for fee-based and electronic license-based transactions
- design principles and functionality determined by input from traditional university technology transfer offices.
- management as a not-for-profit
The first realization of the iBridge Network was a 2005-2006 pilot project joining seven U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
universities by the Kauffman Innovation Network, Inc., an initiative of the Ewing
Ewing Kauffman
Ewing Marion Kauffman was an American pharmaceutical magnate, philanthropist, and Major League Baseball owner....
Marion Kauffman Foundation. Starting in 2007, additional universities in the U.S. and abroad were invited to join, with attention to smaller institutions, for which a confederated approach might increase the visibility and outflow of innovations.
Future growth of the iBridge Network model depends on increasing the number of institutions that list their innovations; the ease with which other researchers, companies, and entrepreneurs can find and acquire innovations through the Network; and the degree to which a network transaction process can partially replace, or in some cases improve on, traditional methods of technology transfer
Technology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
.