After the students graduated from Harvard Benjamin C. Schaefer and Angela Feldhaus spent six years studying physical mechanisms behind light flight devices, they decided to translate their results into a new invention.
With their research in hand, they approached the Harvard technology development office to concede their invention for commercial use. Four years later, Schaefer and Feldhaus have not only obtained a patent, but also launched rarefied technologies start-ups to market their invention.
Schaefer attributes the OTD – which helps researchers coordinate business partnerships, intellectual property management, technology marketing and startups training – with the launch of rarely technologies.
“It was really useful to fill the gap between the laboratory and the launch,” said Schaefer.
Rarefied Technologies is one of the 96 startups that OTD has helped to develop in the past five years. The office strives to market a range of Harvard -based searches – meat substitutes based on energy -efficient air conditioning.
Created in 2005, the OTD supports Harvard employees who wish to put their research on the market. In the past five years, they have helped obtain 897 American patents and generated more than $ 100 million in marketing income.
Christopher J. Petty, director of commercial development of the OTD, said that the office acts in a “advisory role” to provide researchers with resources to create businesses around their research and inventions.
“It is a one-stop shop for laboratories,” he said. “Harvard and OTD’s mission is to support Harvard researchers to withdraw all these innovations from the laboratory and in the real world.”
The office gives researchers access to commercial services, in particular in writing terraces, recruit talents and fundraising. The OTD has established partnerships with companies like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Amazon – obtaining nearly $ 300 million in research funding since 2020.
But more importantly, the OTD License The intellectual property rights of all the inventions of the University – which means that Harvard obtains a reduction in income from the product.
All Harvard employees – including Harvard researchers and teachers – who create commercially viable research is necessary to file patents via the OTD and under the university. The License of Intellectual Property Rights grants Harvard Royalties and a percentage of sales income. In some cases, Harvard may receive a small percentage of equity and participation in the startup.
In the past five years, OTD has generated nearly $ 500 million in fees for fees, single license fees and equity liquidation. In 2024 alone, the office collected more than $ 100 million in income.
“It is a beautiful configuration compared to many universities, in the sense that we really manage everything that is commercial that affects the laboratories,” said Petty.
Schaefer said that the office had supported the launch of rarely technologies, caregivers to contact investors in a proactive manner such as the Department of Energy and the Air Force Research Lab to raise $ 1.6 million.
“OTD has been very good to put us in touch with potential investors who, so far, have been very good games for us,” said Schaefer. “They certainly gave us a good selection of people to work with.”
David T. Scadden, professor of human regenerative and developmental biology and co -director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, also worked with the OTD to advance his research on the creation of therapies on stem cells.
Scadden said that his work with the OTD has opened doors to direct collaboration with stakeholders who have commercial experience – a rare laboratory event.
“You don’t really meet this during the development of your skills as a scientist,” he said.
“As strong as this community is, you really have to go to the next step to have people who are ready to market it,” he added.
The office also offers three accelerators – Cohort mentorship programs for start-ups at an early stage – In the biomedical, physical and climate and sustainability fields. Scadden said that work with the OTD Blavatnik biomedical accelerator “has created a bridge” to connect researchers directly to funding from venture capital.
“My biggest dream would be that we would ultimately have something that could get out of the laboratory that could change significantly for people,” said Scadden. “I am delighted that OTD is part of this ecosystem, because they give me hope that it is at least possible.”
While OTD celebrates its 20th anniversary, Petty said that the office had played a crucial role in the propagation of Harvard’s advanced research.
“If you go back and look at Harvard’s mission, it is a question of increasing the knowledge of humanity, but it is also a question of using this knowledge to make the difference,” he said.
—Trisage of Xinni Staff (Sunshine) Chen can be reached at Sunshine.chen@thecrimson.com. Follow it on x @Sunshine_cxn.
– The writer of the staff Danielle J. IM can be reached at Danielle.im@thecrimson.com.