Each invention disclosure submitted to the Office of Technology Commercialization is treated as a proposal for committing resources to a project. That project is the effort to advance the new technology to the point of commercialization. The OTC has the responsibility to ensure that the resources of the A&M system are wisely invested. Accordingly, the OTC conducts an evaluation of each invention for its commercial potential. This is done in collaboration with inventors and with leaders within the research program that supported the development of the new technology. This process results in some technologies being closed, due to limited commercial potential and/or limitations on the ability to obtain meaningful intellectual property protection. In cases where technologies are elected for commercialization, a plan is developed to commercialize the technology in a way that advances the interests of all stakeholders. The OTC then executes this plan, with participation as appropriate from inventors.
