Iowa State University filed its first patent application in 1923 and received its first patent in 1926. In 1938, Iowa State University established a non-profit entity, the Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc. (ISURF), to manage the protection and commercialization of its research results. Through collaborative efforts with industry, the new organization could enter into license agreements granting industry rights to utilize protected research results. Iowa State was among the first institutions to create such an organization.
Today ISURF works closely with Iowa State’s Office of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer (OIPTT). Together they protect research results and work with companies to transfer these results for the use and benefit of society. This process, commonly called technology transfer, lies at the core of Iowa State’s land-grant mission.
Please use the links below or contact a staff member to find out more about working with us.
