WARF opens western office

The foundation that manages the intellectual property of the University of Wisconsin–Madison is moving forward with plans to launch a satellite office – a first for a university technology transfer organization.

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation has hired a licensing associate to operate from a San Diego, Calif. office. Opening for business this September, the West Coast office is expected to help WARF’s Wisconsin-based staff forge stronger ties with industry customers, many of whom are concentrated in California.

“The West Coast office is part of a larger effort we’re undertaking to move a greater number of University of Wisconsin–Madison inventions from the laboratory to the marketplace,” says Bryan Renk, WARF’s director of patents and licensing. “By opening a California office we’re making ourselves more accessible to industry.”

A private, non-profit organization headquartered in Madison, WARF patents technology created by UW–Madison researchers and licenses it to industry for commercialization. WARF then returns much of the royalty revenues to the university to fund further scientific discovery.

The reasons for choosing San Diego are strategic as well as practical, says Renk. “San Diego is an easy place to travel to, it’s affordable, and its companies match well with WARF’s existing technology portfolio,” he says. The office initially will be staffed by one associate, but may expand if it proves successful.

Renk believes a greater West Coast presence will not only return more licensing income to the UW–Madison, but will also enhance Madison’s status as a burgeoning biotech and high-tech business community.

“Our hope is that this new venture will build a bridge between WARF and West Coast companies, universities, research foundations and venture capitalists,” he says. “If we can learn from California’s success in fostering biotech and high-tech companies, this will ultimately benefit Madison’s technology community and the university.”