Building Partnerships through Research

transferring research to the public

The Office for Research Partnerships and Commercialization (ORPC) was founded in November 2000 to develop and manage the intellectual property portfolio of the University of New Hampshire.

The mission of the ORPC is to:

• Build research partnerships that result in commercialization and economic development.

• Serve as the focal point for advocacy and support of UNH's intellectual property.

• Provide faculty and staff with information on, and assistance with, intellectual property protection by patent, copyright, or other means.

• Facilitate transfer of University research results to the public by bringing scientists and the business community together in relationships of mutual advantage.

• Focus statewide through the New Hampshire Innovation Research Center (a matching grant program funded by the NH Legislature).

The office has 3 components:

(1) Intellectual Property Management

IPM develops and manages the intellectual property portfolio of the University of New Hampshire. Founded in November 2000, the office advocates, supports, protects and commercializes the university’s intellectual property resulting from research.

Responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Ensuring UNH compliance with Federal regulations regarding the reporting, licensing, and maintenance of inventions (Bayh-Dole Act)

• Protecting UNH intellectual property through patents, trademarks, and copyrights and other means

• Developing collaborative agreements between UNH researchers and industry

IMP hosts the Innovation Catalyst Seminar Series that discusses relevant issues related to commercializing UNH’s innovations, including current and emerging best practices on campus.

The seminars are open to all and designed to be a meeting place for innovators, entrepreneurs, service providers, and anyone else interested in how the university innovations of today represent the information and opportunities of tomorrow.

(2) InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL)

UNH-IOL is a neutral, third-party laboratory dedicated to testing data networking technologies through industry collaboration. Since 1988, the laboratory has fostered multi-vendor interoperability while preparing students for careers in the industry. The laboratory has grown steadily into one of the industry's premier independent proving grounds for new technologies with a focus on quality assurance.

Testing is conducted in the laboratory's 32,000+ square foot facility, which houses a multi-million dollar array of test equipment and the latest devices from Member companies.  In return for their latest devices and support, Members are entitled to high-caliber interoperability and conformance testing against other vendors' devices.

(3) NH Innovation Research Center (NHIRC)

NHIRC is a matching grant program that connects New Hampshire companies with expertise at research universities to solve scientific or technical problems. Established in 1991 and funded by the New Hampshire Legislature, it has awarded more than $6 million in state funds to research for 129 companies in New Hampshire.

Since 2004, results from NHIRC projects have enabled companies to receive $1.267 million in federal grants for technology development and fostered many long-term relationships between university researchers and industry partners.

The ORPC administers the NHIRC program on behalf of the state.