Information Technology at the US RTTCs: The Infrastructure Behind the Value
Presented at Technology 2009, Miami, Florida by: Martin Zeller, USC ETTC and Debra Mills, STAC Date: November 3, 1999
USC Engineering Technology Transfer Center The NASA Far West Regional Technology Transfer Center Center http://www.usc.edu/go/ttc
Southern Technology Applications Center The NASA Southeast Regional Technology Transfer http://www.4stac.org
NASA’s Technology Plan
NASA’s Technology Plan (1998) states that technology activities will:
• Support technology development within industry, academia, and NASA
• Utilize competitively selected contracts and grants, unsolicited contracts or grants, and inhouse efforts
• Continue a proactive program to identify and exploit this rich source of new technologies with many commercial opportunities
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills
Date: November 3, 1999
NASA’s Commercial Technology Network
NASA considers technology transfer and commercialization to be a primary agency mission and a part of its overall technology plan in all agency enterprises. NASA’s Commercial Technology Network consists of: • Center-based Commercial Technology Offices • Regional Technology Transfer Centers (RTTCs) • Commercial Technology Incubators • National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC)
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills
Date: November 3, 1999
• NASA Commercial Technology Management Team
• An electronic network - NASATechTracS/
The US RTTC Network
Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC)
Great Lakes Industrial Technology Center (GLITeC)
Mid-Atlantic Technology Applications Center (MTAC)
USC Engineering Technology Transfer Center (ETTC)
Mid-Continent Technology Transfer Center (MCTTC)
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills
Date: November 3, 1999
Southern Technology Applications Center (STAC)
The Technology Commercialization Gulf
Technology Resource Base (Technology Sources)
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills
Date: November 3, 1999
Commercial Technology Users (Technology Consumers)
Why the Gulf?
NASA lacks:
• Knowledge of industry needs • Knowledge of commercial markets / products • Resources and/or mandate to support commercialization of a technology once an industrial company has decided to adopt it
Industry often lacks:
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
• Knowledge of available NASA technologies • Market research and opportunity analysis
RTTCs Bridge the Gulf
The US RTTC network
Technology Resource Base (Technology Sources)
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills
Date: November 3, 1999
Commercial Technology Users (Technology Consumers)
What’s on that Bridge for NASA?
RTTC Services to Support the Technology Sources: • Technology Commercialization Analysis CAP Studies • Generation of qualified leads for technology development partnerships and patent licensing •
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
Promotion of available technologies and partnership opportunities (web sites, Technology Opportunity Sheets and other marketing materials, industry trade shows)
What’s on that Bridge for Industry?
RTTC Services to Support Technology Consumers:
• Identification of relevant technology
• Basic market research and analysis • Technology Commercialization Analysis CAP Studies • •
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
Commercialization planning Locating and qualifying potential strategic partners Connecting with sources of capital
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RTTC Information Services and IT
Crucial infrastructure for RTTC services
• Secondary information search and retrieval: access to thousands of electronic information sources (Online databases, CD-ROM, WWW)
• Commercial Assessment Process Tools (webbased tools for analysis of market acceptance, in-depth market research and valuation of commercial potential of technology)
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
• Web sites, marketing materials and electronic communication capabilities
IT Contribution to RTTC Services
Services to Technology Sources
Information search and retrieval Lead Generation & Qualification Technology Identification
Services to Technology Consumers
Market Research Technology Commercialization Analyses (CAP)
CAP Tools
Strategic partner identification
Capital sourcing Technology Promotion Web sites, marketing materials, electronic communication capabilities
Commercialization Planning Technology Commercialization Analyses (CAP)
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
Case Study
Technology commercialization analysis for SBIR phase II winner
• RTTC used electronic marketing tools developed
for CAP process to assess market acceptance of company’s heat sink technology • As a result of feedback received, joint venture candidates emerged (manufacturing, licensing) • RTTC analysis enabled SBIR company to understand manufacturing costs and set product price points
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
• RTTC effort uncovered competitive relationship with SBIR company’s primary supplier of materials • Customer now has developed strategic relationship with supplier to make, market and
Case Study
Assistance in preparation of venture capital pitch
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RTTC used electronic resources to research potential markets and competition for resource management software product for ISPs RTTC helped customer integrate key industry data into presentation format suitable for attracting capital funding RTTC coached customer in effective delivery of a persuasive pitch
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• RTTC accompanied customer to meeting with small group of VCs
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
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Customer pitch resulted in request by VCs for full business plan and further discussions
Case Study
Preparation of commercialization plan for SBIR phase II proposal
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• RTTC used online databases and WWW to gather secondary market information on thermal barrier coatings for turbine engines
RTTC analysis of secondary information revealed key insights on overall market size, competition, and commercial opportunity • RTTC prepared commercialization plan highlighting key findings of secondary information analysis and in accordance with agency guidelines
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
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Completed plan delivered to SBIR customer ready for inclusion in phase II proposal
Case Study
Lead Generation for NASA technology for NOX emission control
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RTTC worked with NASA KSC to identify potential licensees as companies emitting NOX
• RTTC obtained the database of environmental pollution permits for the state and identified significant polluters • RTTC identified contact names and mailing addresses for companies identified
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
Case Study
Commercialization Planning for NASAlicensed technology
• • RTTC performed analysis of particle monitoring technology identified for clean rooms RTTC identified additional applications for particle monitoring technology in the automotive industry
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RTTC identified industry contacts to assist manufacturer in developing final specifications for new application
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
• Completed market analysis included potential contacts and market size for all applications
Case Study
Commercial Assessment of Helicopter Obstacle Avoidance Technology
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RTTC evaluated current technologies for Obstacle Avoidance for military and civilian helicopters by reviewing literature, company advertisements, and technology announcements • RTTC evaluated industry need for improved avoidance technologies by identifying accident rates, value of equipment lost, and value of accident avoidance • RTTC surveyed current literature and industry contacts to identify potential specifications for obstacle avoidance systems
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
• Provided assessment to client that indicated feasibility of pursuing development of this technology
RTTC Contact Information
Far West Region
USC Engineering Technology Transfer Center (USC ETTC) 3716 S. Hope St., #200 Los Angeles, CA 90007 http://www.usc.edu/go/ttc
Mid West Region
Great Lakes Industrial Technology Center (GLITEC) 25000 Great Northern Corporate Center Cleveland, OH 44070 http://www.battelle.org/glitec
Mid-Atlantic Region
Mid-Atlantic Technology Applications Center (MTAC) 3400 Forbes Ave., 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15260 http://oracle.mtac.pitt.edu
Southeast Region
Southern Technology Applications Center (STAC) 1900 SW 34th Street, Suite 206 Gainesville, FL 32608 http://www.4stac.org
Northeast Region
Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC) 1400 Computer Drive
Mid-Continent Region
Mid-Continent Technology Transfer Center (MCTTC) Texas Engineering Extension Service
Westborough, MA 01581
Presented by: Martin Zeller and Debra Mills Date: November 3, 1999
Technology & Economic Development Div.
College Station, TX 77843 http://www.tedd.org/MCTTC
http://www.ctc.org
To reach the RTTC in your region, dial 800-472-6785