262B.3 Duties and responsibilities.

1. The state board of regents, as part of its mission and strategic plan, shall establish mechanisms for the purpose of carrying out the intent of this chapter. In addition to other board initiatives, the board shall work with the economic development authority, other state agencies, and the private sector to facilitate the commercialization of research.

2. The state board of regents, in cooperation with the economic development authority, shall implement this chapter through any of the following activities:

a. Developing strategies to market and disseminate information on university research for commercialization in Iowa.

b. Evaluating university research for commercialization potential, where relevant.

c. Developing a plan to improve private sector access to the university licenses and patent information and the transfer of technology from the university to the private sector.

d. Identifying research and technical assistance needs of existing Iowa businesses and start-up companies and recommending ways in which the universities can meet these needs.

e. Linking research and instruction activities to economic development.

f. Reviewing and monitoring activities related to technology transfer.

g. Coordinating activities to facilitate a focus on research in the state’s targeted industry clusters.

h. Surveying similar activities in other states and at other universities.

i. Establishing a single point of contact to facilitate commercialization of research.

j. Sustaining faculty and staff resources needed to implement commercialization.

k. Implementing programs to provide public recognition of university faculty and staff who demonstrate success in technology transfer and commercialization.

l. Implementing rural entrepreneurial and regional development assistance programs.

m. Providing market research ranging from early stage feasibility to extensive market research.

n. Creating real or virtual research parks that may or may not be located near universities, but with the goal of providing economic stimulus to the entire state.

o. Capacity building in key biosciences platform areas.

p. Encouraging biosciences entrepreneurship by faculty.

q. Providing matching grants for joint biosciences projects involving public and private entities.

r. Encouraging biosciences entrepreneurship by faculty using faculty research and entrepreneurship grants.

s. Pursuing bioeconomy initiatives in key platform areas as recommended by a consultant report on bioeconomy issues contracted for by the economic development authority.

3. Each January 15, the state board of regents shall submit a written report to the general assembly detailing the patents and licenses held by each institution of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents and by nonprofit foundations acting solely for the support of institutions governed by the state board of regents.

88 Acts, ch 1268, §11

; 2003 Acts, 1st Ex, ch 1, §97, 133

[2003 Acts, 1st Ex, ch 1, §97, 133 amendments to this section rescinded pursuant to Rants v. Vilsack, 684 N.W.2d 193]

2005 Acts, ch 150, §32; 2011 Acts, ch 118, §85, 89

Technology commercialization specialist, committee, and officer; §15.115 – 15.117