ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the context for university technology transfer in Brazil through a comparative analysis of two critical cases of top universities in the United States (MIT) and in Brazil (Unicamp), both of which are high performers relative to tech transfer. The chapter makes the case that incentives, shaped by university rules and regulations, together with institutional capabilities, are important to success in tech transfer. The chapter begins by considering staffing and faculty size at each institution and how this might affect their capacity to engage with industry. It then reviews key channels for tech transfer including informal channels such as consulting by faculty as well as formal channels – specifically, industry-sponsored research and patenting and licensing. It highlights some similarities in technology transfer incentives at each institution but also several key factors that can hinder the process in Brazil such as lack of human resources, bureaucratic processes, and a potential “patenting bottleneck.”
