Penn State University to auction patent licences

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Penn State University to auction patent licences

Penn State University will auction exclusive licences to patents covering innovations created by its College of Engineering, in what it believes to be the first auction of its kind conducted by a university

penn-state-university.jpg

Penn State University will auction exclusive licences to patents covering innovations created by its College of Engineering, in what it believes to be the first auction of its kind conducted by a university

The university hopes that the event, which will take place from March 31 to April 11, will be the first of many patent licensing auctions it hosts.

It will include about 70 patents in technologies such as fuel cells, acoustics and sensors.

The items will have required minimum bids of between $5,000 and $50,000, depending on the patent. Starting at $5,000 are patents including one relating to a method and apparatus for collecting overspray. For a minimum bid of $50,000, potential buyers can take a shot at a bundle of patents covering frequency detection systems for quadrupole resonance signals and methods for reducing/adjusting couplings.

Penn State’s associate vice-president for research and technology transfer Ron Huss said he hopes the auction will help advertise the university’s patent portfolio to businesses.

"Penn State and other research universities typically have IP that has been marketed by their tech transfer offices but for a variety of reasons has not been picked up by a commercial entity and therefore sits on the proverbial shelf," said Huss in a statement.

"This auction is an effort to get our IP off of the shelf and in the hands of companies that can use the technology, at very favorable terms and price points. The buyers get the rights to use the IP, and the university gets a financial return. It's a win-win situation."

There are no geographical limitations on who can license the patents. Potential bidders will need to register in advance at the university’s website. The winners will have to sign a licensing agreement with the university.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Law firms are rethinking litigation strategies after USPTO director John Squires said he would take control of PTAB challenges
News of Singapore planning to streamline the licensing framework for foreign law firms and a partnership between Avanci and Xprize were also among the top talking points
In major recent developments, the court also ruled on another request concerning access to documents and appointed a new panel to the Court of Appeal
A new foundation in Chile is giving women in the IP community the mentorship, and visibility they’ve long lacked
The EUIPO is keen to stress the benefits of mediation as a means of resolving IP disputes, but do roadblocks remain?
Åsa Gustafson, global patent paralegal manager at Zacco, provides insight into the world of a paralegal, explains how she keeps abreast of legal developments, and reveals a passion for weaving
Alif Gultom and Andrew Diamond of Januar Jahja & Partners explain why Indonesia must adopt reforms against bad-faith filings and safeguard its trademark system for the future
In the third episode of a podcast series celebrating the tenth anniversary of IP Inclusive, we discuss the ‘Women in IP’ network and the current state of diversity within the profession
Practitioners, including two ex USPTO directors, say the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act could restore clarity and predictability to US patent law, though concerns remain
News of an alliance between two Malaysian law firms and the launch of a self-help video aimed at supporting IP professionals through menopause were also among the top talking points
Gift this article