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Things have been a bit hectic over here for the last few days, but I'm still embarrassed that I missed the creation of a $2 million fund to invest in commercialization efforts at the University of Texas.

Money for the Texas Ignition Program comes from the university's intermediate term fund. The program will make grants of up to $50,000 to any one of the 15 UT system schools to provide equipment, business plan consulting or other services to help bring research from the lab to the private sector.

The effort follows several larger funds pioneered by other public universities and states, such as a $14 million fund in Oregon and a $52 million pool available through the Research Commercialization Program in Ohio.
 
The pace of technology transfer has stalled somewhat since it became possible in the 1980s thanks to legislation that allows universities to patent discoveries funded by federal research grants. Perhaps commercialization funds will be a shot in the arm for such programs -- and potentially a new source of portfolio companies for venture firms. - Stacey Higginbotham

See Dec. 6 press release from the UT-System
See Oct. 11 post from Tech Confidential
See Dec. 7 post from Tech Confidential

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