Milwaukee schools highlight impact of tech transfer

Universities play a key role in turning research discoveries into products and services. The process, known as technology transfer, was the focus of a recent Wisconsin Technology Council Innovation Network luncheon featuring leaders from area schools.

The panel included Kevin Boggs, MBA, PhD, director of the Office of Technology Development at the Medical College of Wisconsin; Jessica Silvaggi, PhD, president of the UWM Research Foundation; and Kalpa Vithalani, PhD, executive director of technology transfer at Marquette University.

How technology transfer works
At its core, technology transfer is about collaboration. Universities work with startups, established companies, and investors to commercialize discoveries. The process begins when faculty and students disclose inventions to their university. From there, the institution can evaluate the invention, seek intellectual property protection, and license it to companies or launch startups.

The cycle of technology transfer involves connecting university inventors with partners, facilitating inventions to meet market needs, and driving investment in research and discovery. Those efforts transform ideas into products and services, disseminate results for public benefit, and ultimately help grow a stronger innovation ecosystem.

“Without partnerships, we are going nowhere,” Vithalani told the audience, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the work. Boggs added, “With tech transfer, everyone wins.”

The benefits are clear. Society gains new innovations, partnerships, and economic growth. Industry gains access to early-stage technologies, talented faculty and students, and opportunities to shape innovation. Universities themselves benefit through research sponsorship, faculty recruitment, and entrepreneurial growth. Boggs noted that an active tech transfer department is also essential to attracting new faculty.

Local collaboration

The panelists highlighted the unusual spirit of cooperation between Milwaukee’s academic institutions. Collaboration among Marquette University, UW–Milwaukee, and the Medical College of Wisconsin, as well as Milwaukee School of Engineering and Concordia University, allows the region to leverage collective strengths and better serve startups, industry partners, and the broader community.

 

In the presentation, Marquette University reported $37–$49 million in annual research expenditures with 15–16 invention disclosures and one to two startups each year. UW–Milwaukee sees $55–$66 million in expenditures with 35–40 disclosures and a similar number of startups annually. The Medical College of Wisconsin leads the region with $350 million in expenditures, 45–60 disclosures, and as many as four startups each year.

Additionally, collaborations like the Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s AMPDNR program help health and health-tech startups move from idea to commercialization. The program supports medical devices, diagnostics, software, and clinical services, while offering guidance on business planning, investor pitches, and regulatory filings. A recent $250,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is helping expand this work.

National perspective
According to AUTM (formerly known as the Association of University Technology Managers), the impact of technology transfer is enormous. In 2024 alone, U.S. academic institutions disclosed more than 26,000 inventions, filed over 14,000 new patents, and launched nearly 1,000 startups. Since the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act in 1980, which gave universities ownership of federally funded inventions, technology transfer has fueled more than $1.9 trillion in U.S. industrial output and supported 6.5 million jobs.

Challenges and opportunities

Milwaukee’s tech transfer environment is strengthening, but challenges remain. Universities say there is “no shortage of ideas,” but more proof-of-concept funding, translational funds, and early-stage startup investment are needed. Just as important, experienced entrepreneurs are essential to lead and grow young companies emerging from campus labs.

Despite these hurdles, Milwaukee universities remain committed to ensuring that discoveries made in academic labs do not stall at the research stage. Technology transfer is an essential component of a thriving startup ecosystem, ensuring innovations reach the marketplace where they can improve lives, create jobs, and fuel economic growth.