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IP Commercialisation from the Malaysian Universities: the Case of UTM

By

Prof. Dr. Amran Rasli

The National Innovation System1

21Refer Yeoh BK (2006)

Evaluation

Licensing

Release

ROI

Retain

Technology Transfer/CommercializationIn

vent

orT

echn

olog

y T

rans

fer

Off

ice

Out

side

the

H

EIs

Shelved

Outright sale/donate

Patent

Business venture

Spin off Start up

Start-up and Spin-off

FEATURESFEATURES Spin-off Start-up

Created by University University Outside Univ.Outside Univ.

Technologies Owned by Owned by UniversityUniversity

Licensed byLicensed by

UniversityUniversity

Financed by UniversityUniversity Outside funderOutside funder

Managed by University staffUniversity staff Outside Univ.Outside Univ.

Major Challenges of Commercialization

• Product not ready to be put on the market.• Reasons:-

- Funding available limited to prototype only- Approval requirement not understood e.g.: Drug Regulatory Approval

• No fundingNo commercialization• ‘Publish or Parish’ versus ‘No Venture, No Gain’

cross road5

Major Challenges to commercialize R&D results

• Lack of IP management infrastructure• Lack of strategic research planning• Gap between basic research and market needs• Lack of funds for IP protection• Lack of IP knowledge• Lack of expertise to manage TT and commercialization

process• Lack of entrepreneurial skills• Lack of support (Government, University senior

managers) and incentive• Conflict of interest (University vs. Industry)

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COMMERCIALISATION

FINANCIAL GLORY

PRODUCT LAUNCH/ INNOVATION

MARKET GROWTH

What is it all about?

AGE OLD QUEST

‘ACADEMIC’

ACADEMIC GLORY

Versus R & D

The Cross Road2

2Adapted from T.W.Sam (2007)

Minor Challenges of Commercialization

• IP ownership• Getting the correct partner• Adequate compensation for price of the

technology (refer to UTM’s example below)

8Refer to: http://www.icc.utm.my/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ICC_Commercialisation_Policy.pdf

Commercialization Discontinuity: A3

93 Refer Cradle Commercialisation Bootcamp (2007)

Commercialization Discontinuity: B4

104 Refer Cradle Commercialisation Bootcamp (2007)

The Aftermath

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The Case of UTM

• UTM prides itself by having extensive and state of the art facilities for basic and applied research.

• UTM have achieved tremendous success and recognition in competitions, exhibitions and consultancy projects globally and locally.

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Facts. . .

• UTM emerged as the first Public HEI to receive the 2006 National Intellectual Property’s Award in Malaysia5.

135 Refer: http://www.icc.utm.my/services/commercialisation/intellectual-property/intellectual-property-status/

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and realities . . .

• However, with regards to commercialization, UTM like other local HEIs have achieved minimal success . . . Reasons:– Burnt fingers syndrome– academic myopia view

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ICC UTM’s Solution

• Establish an effective framework that support and catalyse each stage in the process of commercialization: pre-seed, VC investment and exit to market.

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Solution 1: Improve the Passing of the Baton

• Three entities were established to complete the commercialisation cycle:

Entity Responsibility

RMC Management of research grants and IP processing

ICC Centre for innovative technology development, technology transfer and commercialization. Provide seed fund and technology screening to researchers

UTSB The university company17

An illustration

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Good baton delivery

Disaster . . . .

Solution 2: Establish external network

• Funders– MTDC, MBC, MOSTI, etc

• Industries– MNCs, GLCs

• SMEs– SMIDEC

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Solution 3: Encourage Spin-outs

• The acadpreneur– From UTSB

• The studepreneur– SKIT program– Post graduate student entrepreneurs

• Collaboration with SMEs– MTDC incubator program

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Acadpreneur examples

• Augmented Innovation Sdn. Bhd. is an associate company of UTSB formed by Prof. Dr. Marzuki Khalid. The company is involved in process automation, fabrication of laboratory products and IT.

• Prof. Dr. Wan Azlee bin Wan Abu Bakar formed an associate company with UTSB in the production of chemicals to support the pertrochemical industries

• Prof. Ir. Dr. Mohd Warid Hussin formed and his colleagues formed a company to manufactur grout material for repair works (UR Grout), plaster material for repair and general construction (UR Plaster) and seived sands for concrete finishing and sand blasting purposes as well as domestic chemicals for clothes ironing and kitchen deodorizer spray (UR Chem).

• and a few more . . . 21

The MTDC incubator program

• The UTM-MTDC Technology Centre was established in December 2001 is now housing several SMEs which have UTM collaborators. Among the notable incubatees are:

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Company Name` UTM Collaborator Core Business

Pengkalan Jitu Sdn. Bhd. Noor Hisham Hamid, FKM Electroless plating

Acomoys Sdn. Bhd. Prof Dr. Azhar Aziz, FKM Fuel saver

KZ Warnamas Sdn. Bhd. Assoc. Prof Dr. Ruzainee, FKKKSA Roselle drying

Organiche Sdn. BHd. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Farediah, FS Meal replacement

JOC Biotech Sdn. Bhd. Dr. Sallehuddin, FS Organic eye drop

Zanif Enterprise Sdn Bhd CEPP, UTM Organic fertilizer

My Organic Mushroom Sdn. Bhd.

Dr. Zulkifli Buntat Ozone treatment for mushroom

UTM-MTDC Technology Centre

• UTM-MTDC Technology Centre focuses on biotechnology and advanced engineering. Currently lots are divided into 2 main types, namely Technology Garage(TG) and Enterprise. The TG lot with rentable area of 440 sq ft is suitable for small office and RND activities. While the Enterprise lots are for bigger companies with rentable area from 1000sq ft up to 5000 sq ft.

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No. Company Product CEO Invemtor1. WCC TELCO SDN. BHD./ 940138-T Frequency Front -End System for

Wireless local Area network ,Point to point Link

MR MUHAMMAD SUFEIL BIN YUSOFFe-mail: Sufeil12@gmail.com

PROF. DR. THAREK ABDUL RAHMANe-mail: tharek@fke.utm.my

2. GIGALINK SOLUTIONS SDN. BHD./ 940040-P

Antenna Array at 2.4Ghz for point to point Communication

MR MUHAMMAD REDUAN BINABD LAH SANI

e-mail: e_w_a_n@yahoo.com

ASSOC. PROF. DR. MOHAMAD KAMAL A. RAHIM

e-mail: mkamal@fke.utm.my3. MICROCLEAR SDN. BHD./ 940172-T Microclear for the treatment of

coloured waterMR IFNU HAKIM BIN ABDUL RAFOR

e-mail: ifnuzitech@yahoo.comASSOC. PROF. DR. ZAHARAH IBRAHIM,

E-mail: zaharahibrahim@utm.my

4. SONO ENGINEERING (M) SDN. BHD./ 940168-H

Novel Low Cost Ultrasound Sonoimprometer

MR MOHD ARSHAD ABDUL RAHIDE-mail: arshadlee@yahoo.com

ASSOC. PROF. DR. EKO SUPRIANTOE-mail: eko@utm.my

5. HQ NUTRACEUTICALS SDN. BHD./ 940117-A

Pineapple Fibre-based Product Development for Nutraceutical

MR M. HAFIZ SHAMSHUDDINe-mail: hafiora@yahoo.com

ASSOC. PROF. DR. IDA IDAYU MUHAMAD

E-mail: idayu@fkkksa.utm.my6. BIOSWITCH TECHNOLOGIES SDN.

BHD./ 940152-PAn Active packaging using Smart Bio

Switch ConceptMR MOHD ZAKUAN BIN ZAKARIA

e-mail: zakuanzakaria@yahoo.com.my

ASSOC. PROF. DR. IDA IDAYU MUHAMAD

e-mail: idayu@fkkksa.utm.my

7. E ELEMENTS TECHNOLOGY SDN. BHD./ 940161-K

Energy Saving in Building Air conditioning System

MR MOHAMMAD AKMAL BAHARAIN BIN A. RAHIM

e-mail: akmika@gmail.com

PROF. DR MD NOR MUSAe-mail: mdnor@utm.my

8. MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY (M) SDN. BHD./ 940038-M

Development of Pre-Treatment System for RO Drinking Water

Production

MS SURIATI MOHAD NASIRe-mail:

suriatimohadnasir@yahoo.com.my

PROF. DR. AHMAD FAUZI ISMAILe-mail: afauzi@utm.my

9. PHOTOLASER GRAMMETRY SDN. BHD./ 940142-X

3D-based Surveillance System MR ZAM HAIRIZAD BIN ISMAILe-mail: zampsh@yahoo.com.my

DR. ZULKEPLI MAJIDe-mail: zulkeplimajid@utm.my /

drzulmajid@gmail.com

Solution 4: Market driven approach

• Identify market first then do research– Success stories from the teaching factory– UTM lead by identifying export market, develop

product, negotiate for orders, then identified an SME to become our partner

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The Teaching Factory

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Spin Out Company

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THANK YOU

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