Start-Up 2.0: An Exclusive Start-Up Evaluation Option License by NCI

The Technology Transfer Center (TTC) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is offering an exclusive Start-Up Evaluation Option License, called Start-Up 2.0, to qualified companies for term limited evaluation of certain early-stage vaccine, therapeutic, device, and diagnostic technologies stemming from the Intramural program at NCI and certain other Institutes serviced by TTC.

Start-Up 2.0 provides companies with two years of exclusivity to evaluate a technology. At the end of the evaluation period, companies successful in Start-Up 2.0 can convert to a full NIH Exclusive Patent License with substantially the same field of use upon submission of a suitably updated plan outlining the commercial development of the licensed technology. Salient features of the license agreement are:

·       2 year exclusive evaluation period;

·       $5,000 up front execution royalty;

·       $5,000 patent reimbursement royalty due one year after the effective date; and

·       NCI (or its client Institute) continues to pay ongoing patent expenses during the 2 year evaluation period.

Full terms of the Start-Up 2.0 Evaluation Option License and of the NIH Exclusive Patent License are available online. Eligible Technologies for Start-Up 2.0 are at least four years old from the earliest priority filing date and are listed on the webpage. Companies must license at least one United States patent/patent application, and commit to developing a product or service for the US market.

Qualifying companies must meet the following criteria at the time their License Application is submitted:

(1)   less than 5 years old;

(2)   received less than $5 million in funding; and

(3)   has fewer than 50 employees.

For more details, including how to apply to Start-Up 2.0, see the Start-Up 2.0 webpage. Please contact Mr. Richard Rodriguez, Associate Director, Technology Transfer Center by email or by telephone 240-276-6661 if you have further questions.