Factors Affecting the Speed and Dissemination of Technology Transferred from the Federal Laboratories

Abstract

This paper describes a study of the current state of affairs in technology transfer and commercialization at the U.S. federal intramural laboratories.The study began with a literature review that informed the approach to discussions with technology transfer personnel at federal agencies and laboratories, which served as the primary mode of data collection. Discussions were held with stakeholders from 12 agencies and 28 laboratories as well as over 30 other organizations.This paper identifies six factors that interviewees stated were affecting the speed and dissemination of technologies from federal laboratories to the private sector.Where applicable, comparisons to past literature on federal laboratory technology transfer are made. The paper also presents the issues around defining and measuring technology transfer success at the federal laboratories, strategies that laboratories are currently employing that may be useful for others to implement, and it ends with a discussion of areas in need of further study.