In line with KFUPM’s new vision, Innovation and Technology Transfer (ITT) office at KFUPM facilitates creating Startups. ITT also has been at forefront in cultivating a mindset of technology-based entrepreneurship in Kingdom by organizing Workshops and Seminars.

We support Startup formation, that are based on licensing KFUPM intellectual property (IP), in following ways (use arrows):

 

1. Entrepreneurs

When entrepreneurs approach us, we discuss their interest in specific technology domain(s), their willingness and skills to commercialize and take a KFUPM technology to market by forming a Startup. We identify potential IPs in requested technology domain, provide entrepreneurs access to such IPs (if needed make an NDA). We also share any market research information we have for IPs selected by an entrepreneur.

2. Workshops

ITT conducts knowledge disseminating workshops individually or in collaboration with KFUPM’s Entrepreneurship Institute. Experts from ITT in the past have given seminars for prospective entrepreneurs in relevant areas of IP and technology transfer including IP basics and IP protection (patent and copyright), patent search and technology landscape, market research, software licensing, open-source software, tools that are available for entrepreneurs in protecting their IP specially software code, databases and algorithms

3. Investors

ITT has been working with potential investors who are interested in supporting technology-based Startups. ITT presents them with KFUPM’s IP portfolio based on their interest and area of specialization. We coordinate with investors in screening promising IPs of KFUPM based on current market trends and investor’s needs.

We also facilitate investors meeting with KFUPM inventors and provide support by linking with relevant stake holders for technology development and prototyping.

4. Startup Funding

Dhahran Techno Valley Company (DTVC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of KFUPM. ITT closely works with Technology Commercialization and & Enterprising (TC&E) unit of DTVC by providing a pipeline of potential KFUPM technologies through comprehensive screening, due-diligence and market research. DTVC offers two levels of funding for KFUPM technologies that are potential for Startup.

5. Ecosystem

ITT also contributes in building local startup ecosystem by mentoring up-and-coming startups through community led forums.