Government funding of university research continues strong

As the lay press questions the U.S. commitment to innovation, Mike Pellegrino put his IP Analytx database to the test to spot check how many university patent applications are supported by government funding.  His conclusion? The government clearly finds great value in technology transfer offices of universities and is actively supporting university research.

Data samples are as of September 2011:

1. Purdue Research Foundation had 47 patent applications, and 40% were described as government funded;
2. University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. had 51 patent applications, with 43% described as government funded;
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) had 205 applications, with nearly 50% listed as government funded.

The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) reports that TTOs received $40 billion in federal funding in 2011 to sponsor research expenditures, a 3% increase from the previous year.