Innovation Assistant

UB Tech Transfer supports the commercialization of new technologies emerging from UB's research enterprise and negotiates industry sponsored research agreements.

There are two Innovation Assistant tracks: Commercialization and Contracts. In the Commercialization track, students learn to conduct intellectual property (IP) assessments, to determine if there is an opportunity for patent, copyright or other forms of IP protection, and market opportunity assessments, to determine if there is strong market fit for the technology. In the Contracts track, the Innovation Assistant helps draft and negotiate contracts governing the commercialization and licensing of new technologies (Non Disclosure Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements, Options and Licenses) and Industry Sponsored Research Agreements. 

Students are exposed to technologies across myriad fields, including therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, energy, materials, advanced manufacturing and more.

Innovation Assistants are typically graduate students enrolled in the UB School of Law or School of Management and preferably have an undergraduate or graduate technical degree. Law students must be in their second or third years.