Transfer of Knowledge and Technology at Freie Universität Berlin

Even though Freie Universität Berlin mainly focusses on basic sciences as opposed to applied sciences the transfer of knowledge and technology is well established and especially successful with regard to patents, licenses and spin-offs. Two departments are committed to help turning inventions and ideas into the products of the future:

1. The Patent and License Service (PULS) at Freie Universität Berlin advises inventors at the university and, together with the patent agency ipal GmbH, is in charge of the commercialization of inventions. Among its services are:

• General information on intellectual property rights and personal consulting for inventors on all issues of protection and the commercialization of inventions

• Support in filling the Invention Disclosure Form

• Assessment of inventions with respect to suitability for patenting and opportunities for commercialization

• Development of suitable patenting and commercialization strategies

• Protecting intellectual property rights (in cooperation with patent attorneys)

• Marketing and licensing of patents

• Drafting and negotiating of license agreements

• Monitoring of license agreements and forwarding of licensing income to inventor

2. profund, the Spin-off Service at Freie Universität Berlin supports scientists, alumni or students who decide to bring their inventions or business ideas as part of their own company to the market since they often rely on financial and technical support during the preparation and start-up phases. profund’s services are also available to members of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. profund offers

• Initial counseling on what kind of support is needed
• Entrepreneurship education in terms of seminars and competitions
• Networking events
• Advice and support concerning the acquisition of public and private funding
• Access to experts, coaches and mentors
• Access to 120 well-equipped workplaces in five buildings on campus free of charge during start-up phase

3. Facts & Figures about PULS and profund

• Since 2002 the Freie Universität Berlin has disclosed more than 250 inventions
• The Freie Universität Berlin has of a portfolio of more than 40 patented or patent pending inventions
• Some 50 teams take part in the university wide one-dollar-business-competition per annum
• Between 150 and 200 initial counseling interviews are conducted with potential founders per annum
• Nationwide, Freie Universität ranks 1st in raising funds of „EXIST Gründerstipendium“/”EXIST seed scholarship“ of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi)
• 15 million EUR in third-party funds have been acquired since 2007
• Between 60 and 70 start-ups and experts are matched per annum
• Some 1,000 guests take part in the monthly Business & Beer networking event per annum
• The yearly “Entrepreneurship Summit” at Freie Universität hosted by Professor Günter Faltin is Europe’s biggest entrepreneurship event
• In the business-plan competition of Berlin-Brandenburg, Freie Universität was honored with the title of „Ideenschmiede“/ ‘think tank’ four times as the most successful university of Berlin (in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011).
• Among 63 examined German universities Freie Universität ranked 7th in overall quality of Spin-off Services and Entrepreneurship Education in a 2011 study
• From 2006 to 2011 more than 70 companies have been founded with the support of profund

4. Example of a successful spin-off: The Live Saving Liver Test

Humedics GmbH, a joint spin-off of Freie Universität and Charité, invented a non-invasive test of a patient’s liver function that provides quantitative and immediate results at bedside for the first time. The so called LiMAx-test has already saved lives in clinical studies. PULS filed the patent together with Charité in several countries. The scientists received the license, founded the company and are bringing their product to the market with support of profund. Only recently Humedics has acquired a seven-digit investment.

Contact:
Ute Reetz
Tel: +49-30-838 736 30
Email: profund@fu-berlin.de