Best Practices in University Technology Transfer: Bringing Innovation into the Real World

The commercialization of research results from universities is essential for transforming groundbreaking innovations into the real world. This process relies not only on the efforts of university faculty and researchers but also on the contributions of companies and startups that bring these innovations to the market. Facilitating this connection between academia and industry—and ensuring real-world impact—is the crucial role of the Technology Transfer Office at universities.

In this CHIZAI (IP) seminar, we will focus on university technology transfer, featuring insights from four distinguished speakers from both the U.S. and Japan. Katharine Ku will share her extensive experience at Stanford University and reflect on how the role of technology transfer office has evolved. Carol Mimura will describe the growth of UC Berkeley’s innovation ecosystem, including the surrounding City of Berkeley. Our speakers from Japan, Yoichi Oshima, Institute of Science Tokyo and Yutaka Niidome, Chiba University will introduce current initiatives and advancements in technology transfer.

Through insightful discussions, we will explore why university technology transfer is vital for society and examine best practices for maximizing its success. This seminar is not just for technology transfer officials but for anyone passionate about driving innovation from universities.

Join us for an inspiring and informative session!

* Our online webinar is held via Zoom.

Date

Monday, April 21, 2025, from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm (PDT)

* Tuesday, April 22, 2025, from 9:00 am – 10:30 am (Japan Time)

Schedule

5:00-5:05 pm: Opening

5:05-5:45 pm: Keynote Presentations from all the speakers

5:45-6:25 pm: Panel Discussion and Q&A

6:25-6:30 pm: Closing

6:30-7:00: Virtual Networking*

*Optional. You are welcome to remain online to have discussions with other participants.

Speakers (alphabetical order):

Carol Mimura, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Intellectual Property & Industry Research Alliances, the University of California, Berkeley

Katharine Ku, Chief Licensing Advisor, Wilson Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati

Yoichi Oshima, Vice President for Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration, Professor, Director of Center of Innovation Management, Institute of Science Tokyo

Yutaka Niidome, Professor, Head of IP Strategy, Chiba University

Speakers' Profile:

Carol Mimura, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Intellectual Property & Industry Research Alliances, the University of California, Berkeley

Carol Mimura, Ph.D., RTTP is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Intellectual Property & Industry Research Alliances (IPIRA) at the University of California, Berkeley. IPIRA obtains funding from companies to support UC Berkeley’s research enterprise, patents inventions made at UC Berkeley and licenses them to companies of all sizes including startup companies, and supports entrepreneurs and startup companies. More than 300 startup companies have been founded with an IP license from UC Berkeley, and more than 48% of Berkeley startups had at least one female founder.

Carol served as a member of the Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation of the National Academies of Sciences Institute of Medicine (renamed the National Academy of Medicine in 2015), has served on the boards of the Children’s Hospital Research Institute in Oakland, CA, and BayBio, was an Exec. Director of UC Berkeley’s Office of Technology Licensing, and prior to that, was an analyst at Technology Forecasters, and a consultant to Cor Therapeutics and Genomyx.

Carol holds degrees from Yale University in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry and Boston University in Biology. She was an NIH-sponsored postdoctoral fellow and research scientist at UC Berkeley in Biochemistry and Chemical Biodynamics. Carol was honored to receive the inaugural Patents for Humanity Award from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a Deal of Distinction from the Licensing Executives Society, the President’s Cup from Yale, and one of the inaugural Faces of American Innovation awards from the U.S. Bayh-Dole Coalition.

Katharine Ku, Chief Licensing Advisor, Wilson Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati

Katharine (Kathy) Ku is the Chief Licensing Advisor at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Previously, she was Executive Director of Stanford University’s Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) for 27 years, until 2018. Kathy was President of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) from 1988-90. She received the AUTM 2001 Bayh-Dole Award for her efforts in university technology transfer. In 1999, Stanford OTL received the LES Achievement Award.

Kathy is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Ohio State Innovation Foundation, the University of Utah Research Foundation, and the San Jose State University Innovation Advisory Council. She also served as an Advisor to the University of California Regents Special Committee on Innovation Transfer and Entrepreneurship.

Kathy has a B.S. Chemical Engineering (Cornell University), an M.S. in Chemical Engineering (Washington University in St. Louis) and is a registered patent agent.

Yoichi Oshima, Vice President for Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration, Professor, Director of Center of Innovation Management, Institute of Science Tokyo

Yoichi Oshima is an expert in semiconductors, intellectual property, and innovation, with a distinguished career spanning academia, government, and industry. He earned a Master’s degree in Engineering from Gunma University in 1988 and later completed doctorates in Law and Business from Chuo University and the University of Tsukuba. In 1996, he was a visiting scholar at the University of Southern California. At the Japan Patent Office, he held key roles, including Senior Judge and Examiner in semiconductor design, devices, and equipment. He also served as Director at NEDO and Director of the Strategic Planning Department at the Center for Innovative Integrated Systems at Tohoku University. Currently, he is a Professor and Vice President of the Institute of Science Tokyo. He has contributed to several expert committees, such as the University Network for Innovation and Technology Transfer (UNITT) and local city redevelopment committees in Kawasaki and Kitakyushu. He is also an author and contributor to IEEE publications. His career reflects a rare integration of technical, legal, and strategic insight driving Japan’s innovation ecosystem.

Yutaka Niidome, Professor, Head of IP Strategy, Chiba University

Yutaka Niidome is Professor and Head of Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy at Chiba University Academic Research and Innovation Management Organization from 2023.

Yutaka has nearly 30 years of experience in the field of IP, serving as a patent examiner and appeals administrative judge in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology at the Japan Patent Office (JPO), and as an Associate Professor on IP and innovation ecosystems at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). From 2016-2018, he worked on trade negotiations in the IP field for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the TPP Headquarters at the Cabinet Secretariat Office. From 2018 to 2021, he was Director for IP at Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Singapore Office, and from 2021 to 2023, Director of the Biotechnology Division at JPO.

Yutaka has a B.S. Agricultural Chemistry (Kyoto University) and M.S. Agricultural Chemistry (Kyoto University).