Indiana University has entered into a collaborative research and development agreement with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, that will allow IU campuses to work more closely with Crane and with private-sector partners to transfer technology to the private sector. By acting as partnership intermediaries, IU and the IU Research and Technology Corp. will be in a position to identify both private-sector and university collaborators that can transfer technology to and from the Crane federal laboratory with the goal of advancing research that leads to better products and business and employment opportunities.
The new Partnership Intermediary Agreement officially allows Crane and IU to exchange technology-related assistance and include private-sector partners, which Crane cannot do alone. By identifying IU as a partnership intermediary — a not-for-profit owned or funded in whole or part by state or local government that assists with small business firms or education institutions that need or can make demonstrably productive use of technology-related assistance from a federal laboratory –Crane can then provide information on shareable research and development capabilities, resources and support partners’ programs.
IU and IURTC will now be able to help companies submit technical proposals to funding programs, showcase lab inventions for licensing and collaboration, and then help companies take the next steps to product development. IU will also be able to act as an intermediary to showcase clients’ technologies and capabilities that are of interest to Crane.