Success of CUIP transfer, from the perspective of our patent attorney

Our executive manager and patent attorney Matěj Machů presented on May 10, 2022 at the Neuron Club platform organized by the Neuron Foundation. He shared his know-how from the complex world of intellectual property protection at the WPP campus in Prague at another of the periodic meetings focused on helping to turn scientific discoveries into business.

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The next speaker was Barbara Paldus, a successful entrepreneur and scientist. She earned her PhD in electronic engineering from Stanford University, and her exceptional scientific skills combined with her business acumen have led to dozens of patents and the founding of several companies over the course of her career.

Last but not least, the biochemist and economist Jaromír Zahrádka, CEO of the investment company i&i Prague, which celebrated 5 years of its existence a week later, also spoke. They currently have over ten invested companies in their portfolio as well as completed exits. It is an ecosystem on the border between transfer and investment – it focuses on working with medical and diagnostic companies in the first stage of their existence.

The subsequent discussion compared the experiences of the Czech, American and Israeli approaches to scientific transfer – foreign research is funded by patrons who are interested in the outcome and scientists have a freer hand, while in the Czech Republic higher education is funded from the state budget and is therefore laced with regulations and little flexibility.

As Matěj Machů confirmed, the beginnings within a large institution like Charles University were difficult, there was mistrust, but today the transfer office brings millions to the university – and the scientists who always get their share apply to the CUIP themselves.

“Our business is based on three pillars,” explained the manager and patent attorney, “the first is the sale of licenses, such an example is the linguistic software that was developed at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics. The second is selling an invention, as demonstrated by the success of Oxygen Biotech, a solution for the treatment of covid-19 and ARDS through targeted medication to the lungs. The third, and most challenging option, is to start your own spin-off company, which we first tested with the digital game Freedom 1945. We sell this under the Charles Games brand.”

photo: Neuron Foundation

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