Submitted By

Gali Baler, gali.baler@cuanschutz.edu, Director of Investments, CU Innovations

Project Team

Heather Callahan, heather.callahan@cuanschutz.edu, Director of Licensing, Anschutz Tech Transfer
Doreen Molk, doreen.molk@cuanschutz.edu, Licensing Manager, Anschutz Tech Transfer
Mary Tapolsky, mary.tapolsky@cuanschutz.edu, Senior Licensing Manager, Anschutz Tech Transfer
Jeff Walenta, jeff.walenta@cuanschutz.edu, Senior Licensing Manager, Anschutz Tech Transfer

Project Description

The Licensing Evaluation project created an efficient and streamlined approach to receive new invention disclosures across the entire CU Anschutz Medical campus, created a standardized framework for evaluating each one to be discussed across our team in a biweekly meeting and recommendations for the next best steps for development of the technology (whether it be licensing, marketing, grant funding, etc.). The project has increased visibility of interesting discoveries made by researchers to the entire CU Innovations team and created a process for better decision making. Furthermore, the program also provided an opportunity for early career graduate student fellows to receive training and participate in the evaluation of novel inventions on the campus.

Project Efficiency 

The project increased the speed at which we were evaluating novel inventions across the campus, provided transparency across the team into the technologies entering our pipeline, created a forum to enhance collective decision-making.

Project Inspiration 

The inspiration from the project came from a reorganization of the team and a recognition that we could do a better job at evaluating new inventions on the campus with a more comprehensive approach.

Future Plans

We plan to continue leveraging this program to help in the evaluation of novel technologies and increase the feedback to faculty regarding the avenues available to them for technology development with the creation of a startup toolbox, a collection of service providers and funding to help answer key questions blocking the advancement of new discoveries.

What Makes You Happiest about this Project?

I like knowing that every submission that comes into our office now receives the care and attention it deserves to increase their chances of success. Where new discoveries may face challenges to reach the market, that feedback can also be invaluable to researchers in adjusting their approach to find a new avenue for patient impact.