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NASA Goddard and Ocean Tomo Establish Groundbreaking Partnership to Commercialize NASA Technologies

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has granted an exclusive license to Ocean Tomo Federal Services* for a suite of more than 40 patented and patent-pending technologies to facilitate their transfer to the private sector for commercial application. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ocean Tomo, a small business that sells intellectual property (IP) through live auctions and other IP transaction platforms. Licensing government-owned patents through a live-auction process is a highly novel approach that has not been attempted previously, making Goddard’s arrangement with Ocean Tomo unique and innovative.

Benefits of the Partnership

  • For NASA: The partnership allows NASA to expand its channels for licensing NASA’s patented technologies, leveraging Ocean Tomo’s network, expertise, and tools such as the live auction.

  • For Ocean Tomo: NASA’s reputation as an incubator of groundbreaking technological ideas and capabilities should attract the interest of those in the market who seek rare and high-potential opportunities.

  • For the taxpayer: Commercialization of NASA technologies via Ocean Tomo’s auction and other transfer mechanisms increases the value of NASA technologies and thereby the return on investment for the taxpayer. Also, products derived from licensed technologies might offer quality-of-life improvements.

About Ocean Tomo

Established in 2003, Ocean Tomo, LLC, provides financial products and services related to IP, including financial and survey expert testimony, valuations, investments, risk management, and transactions. Headquartered in Chicago, Ocean Tomo has offices in San Francisco, Palm Beach, Orange County, and Washington, DC. Subsidiaries of Ocean Tomo include Ocean Tomo Auctions, LLC; Ocean Tomo Federal Services, LLC; Ocean Tomo Asset Management, LLC; and Ocean Tomo Capital, LLC.

Facilitating Technology Transfer

Ocean Tomo organizes live IP auctions in which individual patents or suites of patents are auctioned off to the highest bidder among participating companies. Typically, winners at Ocean Tomo’s auctions purchase title to the patents being auctioned and therefore own the patents. For NASA’s patents, Ocean Tomo will be auctioning not the patents themselves but exclusive licenses with pre-defined terms that the winning bidder will assume. Ocean Tomo Federal Services also plans to offer the right to license NASA Goddard’s technologies through its other IP transaction platforms, including Private Brokerage, Patent/Bid-Ask™, and IPX International™.

About the Agreement

The license agreement between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Ocean Tomo Federal Services was signed July 22, 2008. Under this arrangement:

  • Ocean Tomo will handle all aspects of the IP auction and its other IP transaction platforms, including marketing and promotions, at no up-front cost to NASA.

  • Ocean Tomo will share its market data with NASA so that the two organizations will jointly establish a royalty structure and reserve price that the target market will bear.

  • If the reserve price is not met but bidders are interested in the patents, Ocean Tomo will work with interested organizations following the auction to close the licensing deal.

Looking Ahead

The auction will be held in Chicago on October 30, 2008. NASA Goddard’s participation in the auction will be the first time a federal laboratory has participated in such an event. Three Goddard-developed technology clusters, totaling 26 patents, will be auctioned. More information about the auction is available online.*

Contact

If you would like additional information about Goddard’s partnership with Ocean Tomo or other technology transfer opportunities, please contact:

Innovative Partnerships Program  Office
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Phone: (301) 286-5810
E-mail: techtransfer@gsfc.nasa.gov

(2008)






On the Record

“Licensing government-owned patents through our transaction platforms is a highly novel approach to technology transfer. The NASA Goddard team has an extensive and successful track record in developing and commercializing breakthrough technologies, and our partnership is an excellent opportunity for us to work with creative and motivated individuals who are committed to excellence in scientific investigation and the advancement of essential technologies.”
— Connie Chang, Director, Ocean Tomo Federal Services

“A major component of NASA Goddard’s Innovative Partnerships Program’s (IPP's) mission is to transfer NASA technology to the commercial marketplace. We look forward to working with Ocean Tomo to create greater awareness of the technological innovations available at NASA Goddard.”
— Nona Cheeks, Chief, NASA Goddard’s IPP Office

“The IPP Office works diligently to make the most of all opportunities for Goddard technologies to be utilized beyond NASA’s needs, and some innovations are better transferred through nontraditional channels. That’s why we welcome this opportunity to partner with Ocean Tomo. They have unique expertise and tools as well as the motivation to make this innovative pathway to the commercial sector successful."
— Darryl Mitchell, Technology Transfer Manager, Goddard’s IPP Office

“A successful partnership between Goddard and Ocean Tomo is just the beginning of an important way for all of NASA, as well as other federal labs, to maximize the value to the nation of federal technological research and development for unique scientific applications.”
— Nona Cheeks

“We are honored to have the opportunity to unlock the value of NASA’s patents and other intellectual property for both the agency and taxpayers’ benefit. Given NASA's historic achievements and reputation as an incubator of groundbreaking technological ideas and capabilities, we expect this new partnership to attract the interest of those in the market who seek rare and high-potential opportunities.”
— Dean Becker, Vice Chairman, Ocean Tomo