Commercialization Tools

Technology commercialization has been at the heart of our activities since the very beginning. In fact, we were probably the first consulting firm in Canada to specialize in technology transfer from publicly-funded research.

We have completed a wide variety of commercialization studies for clients in both the private and public sectors. Moreover, our experience has gone beyond policy papers, studies, and reports to the development and implementation of commercialization programs leading to the creation of several new companies and the transfer of technology to existing ones.

Our commercialization program for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited led to the direct creation of new companies, including BTI Bubble Technologies International in Chalk River and Delta T-Max in Pembroke.

Our multi-year commercialization program for the Government of Saskatchewan in the 1980s led to the transfer of several technologies from the University of Saskatchewan, the creation of more than 40 companies over a five-year period, and the development of Saskatoon as a major technology cluster with a technology engine focused around the University of Saskatchewan and Innovation Place.

We have been active in technology commercialization activities right across the country; from TRIUMF in Vancouver to communities throughout rural Eastern Ontario, where we have worked with most economic development professionals in the growth and/or creation of technology-intensive companies. We have also assisted private and publicly-traded companies in the identification and commercialization of exploitable technology from their existing operations.

Techniques we use in the identification, exploitation, and management of technology our pub lished in our handbook, Making Technology Happen.

The following outlines our major commercialization service offerings:

Doyletech’s SBDA Receptor Service – Identifying Appropriate Receptors for your Lab’s Technology

Research and development activities are carried out by many science-based departments and agencies (SBDAs) in federal and provincial governments, for reasons that range from assistance with policy formulation to collaboration with industry for the development of new products, services, or processes. Most projects result in a pool of technology that can be exploited elsewhere in government and industry.

We have had considerable experience in identifying receptors for that pool of technology and we have decided to offer a service that we feel will be of interest to research managers and business development officers in publicly-funded laboratories.

The major deliverable the client receives is a report that outlines the results of the above assessments. It will also provide a profile of a typical receptor organization, identify the most likely form(s) of technology transfer, and identify potential exploitation barriers and how they might be addressed.

Doyletech’s Commercialization Toolkit Service – Extracting Technology with BODs

A key ingredient in effective technology commercialization is a clear understanding of the business opportunity represented by a given technology transfer event. Doyletech has pioneered the use of a tool known as a Business Opportunity Document (BOD) that serves this purpose. It can be used by a research laboratory (or other facilities involved in technology transfer) to focus the discussion between the laboratory (facility) and a potential technology exploiter on the products, services, processes that might flow from the technology and the markets that they might address.

Our toolkit service can range from the development of a single BOD to a range of BODs covering several different technologies and application areas. We can also provide assistance in terms of managing the pool of intellectual property and BODs.

In addition to public sector clients, Doyletech’s Commercialization Toolkit Service can be (and has been) applied to private sector companies. There are many instances where technology is developed by a company as part of its ongoing operations which may have little or no relevancy to its current products and services. Such a situation may represent an excellent opportunity for technology exploitation. However, often the technology is not commercialized because the effort that would be required to ‘package it’ is too great. Our Commercialization Toolkit Service can help such companies determine if this technology can be sold or licensed to outside companies. The service may be of interest to corporate CEOs, the VPs of Operations or Engineering, as well as to Chief Technology Officers (CTOs).

Doyletech’s TTO Training Service – A Program of Assistance for Incubator Managers / Business Park Managers / Technology Transfer Officers

Over the years, we have provided hands-on assistance and mentorship to several Canadian technology transfer officers, business park and incubator managers. Increasingly, we have been helping officials in several emerging and developing countries. Our TTO Training Service addresses all aspects of effective business development for a technology park and/or incubation facility including: (1) techniques for finding and exploiting technology, (2) the critical role of a new ventures business plan, (3) the use of a Business Opportunity Document as a screening tool, (4) assessing the market demand and investment requirements of the new venture, (5) methods to help students and professors do market research, (6) incubation approaches and methods, (7) IP considerations and negotiation, (8) proven techniques for managing and growing technology companies, (9) how to build local and international networks for assessing business opportunities, (10) developing information pieces for potential entrepreneurs, and (11) how to carry out negotiations with ‘importation’ candidates.

The assistance program is customized depending on the client and the situation. While the core of the program remains the same, components are modified based on whether the client is a business park manager or an incubation facility manager, or a technology transfer officer, or a combination of the three.