Celebrating World Intellectual Property Day
Mark Crowell speaks at a recent career fair held on KAUST campus. By Ginger Lisanti.
Every year on April 26, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) leads the world in the celebration of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day to create discussion around the role of intellectual property and how it encourages creativity and innovation.This year, KAUST will host a World IP Day celebration on April 26 and 27 as part of its Enrichment in the Spring program and in collaboration with the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and the Saudi Patent Office (SPO). Enrichment in the Spring will be held on campus from April 22 to 30.
Mark Crowell, KAUST vice president of Innovation and Economic Development, sat down with KAUST News to discuss the University’s innovation ecosystem prior to the upcoming World IP Day events.
KAUST News: How is KAUST redefining technology transfer for the region?
Mark Crowell: KAUST is rethinking technology transfer by committing to an innovation agenda that seeks to create and leverage authentic partnerships, resources and strategies into products and services that benefit society, especially in four areas of global significance: food, water, energy and the environment.
This approach puts a strong emphasis on experimenting, collaborating and strengthening human relationships. It focuses on positive risk taking and developing entrepreneurship. It accepts quick failures and realizes how important they can be to develop future successes. It involves a relentless approach to creating value and identifying markets and applications around early stage innovation assets. It is an approach that encourages people to think outside the box and understands that some of the best innovations of all time have been developed through tinkering, exploring and connecting.
KAUST News: What are the unique features of KAUST that are allowing this process to take place?
Mark Crowell: KAUST features outstanding academics, researchers and students, excellent facilities, strong partnerships with leading industry partners and strategically connectedinnovation and economic development programs. The University represents a complete ecosystem that is making KAUST a global destination. Dedication to this complete innovation ecosystem, which must be sustained and grown in order to support widespread economic development, is paying off for KAUST.
KAUST News: Describe this payoff for the University.
Mark Crowell: The University's innovation ecosystem has broken new ground in a relatively short period of time.
As of February 2016, the KAUST innovation ecosystem has produced 523 disclosures, 341 patent applications, 33 patents, 13 license agreements, 282 industry job placements, 194 industry internships, 36 seed investments, 22 incorporated setups, 38 industry members and $107 million in industry-funded projects.
KAUST Innovation has seen a doubling of its invention disclosure rate in the last fiscal year, which is significantly higher than Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) benchmarking. Academically, KAUST citations in materials science and energy publications match top U.S. and European academic institutions.
The University is also committed to developing startups with seed funding. This has now evolved into the KAUST Innovation Fund and Beacon Fund, which aims to grow an innovation and technology community and to attract international investors and venture capitalists to the emerging Saudi technology ecosystem.
KAUST News: What are some words of wisdom you offer to potential entrepreneurs at KAUST?
Mark Crowell: As you walk into the University’s Innovation Cluster, there is a plaque that gives me inspiration every time I see it. It reads “Patience, Persistence, and Perseverance.” The quote is advice to KAUST pioneers back in 2010 from His Excellency Ali I. Naimi, chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees and Saudi Arabia’s minister of petroleum and mineral resources. It defines innovation and inspires us to be patient and do better.
These words of wisdom recognize that developing innovation, creating a culture of collaboration and making a positive difference in the world are changes that do not happen overnight. These activities require hard work, community building and long-term efforts.
There will be missteps along the way, but it is about recovering quickly, learning from these mistakes and moving onward and upward—it is about strengthening teamwork and having creative people working in unison and learning from one another. If these characteristics are adopted by whole communities and ecosystems, anything is possible.
Visit worldipday.kaust.edu.sa to learn more.
- By Joshua Smith and Caitlin Clark, KAUST News
Mark Crowell: KAUST is rethinking technology transfer by committing to an innovation agenda that seeks to create and leverage authentic partnerships, resources and strategies into products and services that benefit society, especially in four areas of global significance: food, water, energy and the environment.
This approach puts a strong emphasis on experimenting, collaborating and strengthening human relationships. It focuses on positive risk taking and developing entrepreneurship. It accepts quick failures and realizes how important they can be to develop future successes. It involves a relentless approach to creating value and identifying markets and applications around early stage innovation assets. It is an approach that encourages people to think outside the box and understands that some of the best innovations of all time have been developed through tinkering, exploring and connecting.
KAUST News: What are the unique features of KAUST that are allowing this process to take place?
Mark Crowell: KAUST features outstanding academics, researchers and students, excellent facilities, strong partnerships with leading industry partners and strategically connectedinnovation and economic development programs. The University represents a complete ecosystem that is making KAUST a global destination. Dedication to this complete innovation ecosystem, which must be sustained and grown in order to support widespread economic development, is paying off for KAUST.
KAUST News: Describe this payoff for the University.
Mark Crowell: The University's innovation ecosystem has broken new ground in a relatively short period of time.
As of February 2016, the KAUST innovation ecosystem has produced 523 disclosures, 341 patent applications, 33 patents, 13 license agreements, 282 industry job placements, 194 industry internships, 36 seed investments, 22 incorporated setups, 38 industry members and $107 million in industry-funded projects.
KAUST Innovation has seen a doubling of its invention disclosure rate in the last fiscal year, which is significantly higher than Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) benchmarking. Academically, KAUST citations in materials science and energy publications match top U.S. and European academic institutions.
The University is also committed to developing startups with seed funding. This has now evolved into the KAUST Innovation Fund and Beacon Fund, which aims to grow an innovation and technology community and to attract international investors and venture capitalists to the emerging Saudi technology ecosystem.
KAUST News: What are some words of wisdom you offer to potential entrepreneurs at KAUST?
Mark Crowell: As you walk into the University’s Innovation Cluster, there is a plaque that gives me inspiration every time I see it. It reads “Patience, Persistence, and Perseverance.” The quote is advice to KAUST pioneers back in 2010 from His Excellency Ali I. Naimi, chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees and Saudi Arabia’s minister of petroleum and mineral resources. It defines innovation and inspires us to be patient and do better.
These words of wisdom recognize that developing innovation, creating a culture of collaboration and making a positive difference in the world are changes that do not happen overnight. These activities require hard work, community building and long-term efforts.
There will be missteps along the way, but it is about recovering quickly, learning from these mistakes and moving onward and upward—it is about strengthening teamwork and having creative people working in unison and learning from one another. If these characteristics are adopted by whole communities and ecosystems, anything is possible.
Visit worldipday.kaust.edu.sa to learn more.
- By Joshua Smith and Caitlin Clark, KAUST News