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Focusing on Innovation
of the future
About The Office of Innovation Management
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) supports Mississippi’s efforts to grow its knowledge-based economy centered around universities as economic engines of innovation for enhancing the competitive advantages of the state’s industries, which include marine technology, advance materials, agriculture, medical devices, and many others. To facilitate this economic growth, The Office of Innovation Management (OIM) promotes the protection and commercialization of innovations that emerge from all dimensions of USM’s research enterprise, from the sciences to the humanities.
Our team works with inventors to define and market technology portfolios of inventions, to promote new business ventures, and to build business alliances that will accelerate the transition of inventions to the marketplace. OIM aligns strategic initiatives with the capabilities of USM, supporting industry interactions, and negotiating legal agreements.
Additionally, OIM supports the USM Research Foundation’s mission and manages its Gulf Blue Innovation Program, which includes the Gulf Blue Navigator.
Commercialization
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USM uses an augmented stage-gate commercialization process based on an innovative funnel of inventions that is sustained by the university’s very high research activity. To ensure the innovation funnel is fed by high quality inventions, each invention disclosure is currently assessed for commercial viability and novelty. After validation of viability and novelty, the USM Office of Innovation Management (OIM) works with the inventors and its network of patent lawyers to secure patent protection.
Following successfully filing for patent protection, USM OIM supports translational research activities (TRA) of early-stage inventions by providing access to innovation development funding provided through the State of Mississippi and the National Science Foundation. OIM is one 18 universities awarded an NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) initiative (FAIN #2331378) designed to accelerate the commercialization of groundbreaking technologies developed by our faculty, staff, and researchers. This Research to Impact (r2i) initiative aims to support innovations with strong potential for market success and signification impact providing vital resources to bridge the gap between research and commercialization. These funds can be used for product development activities like market assessments, user inspired research, prototype development, and feasibility studies. Applications are accepted annually and USM OIM evaluates applications based on the technology’s commercial viability, the inventors’ engagement, and overall translation potential. After the successful completion of these activities, the applicant can reapply for additional funding to advance the technology to the next stage. The r2i initiative also provides support for pursuing both SBIR and STTR grants.
OIM also provides a Founder Development Program for TRA providing a customized training and support program over an 18-month period to help researchers create startups supporting the translational research into a commercially viable product. This training helps founders align goals around R&D, regulatory, funding, commercial, and revenue. These founders are also eligible to participate in NSF I-Corps and NIH REACH.
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Innovation Development Funding
Inventions
Why Disclose Inventions?
Through your research, you develop knowledge that can change the world.
We offer help in the form of people, services, teams and tools to help make it happen.
By reporting inventions and even just talking through your work with a OIM Manager, you gain access to great opportunities, such as:
- Increased funding for your lab, department and college
- Qualification for industry and federal grants, such as SBIR funds
- Making your research more attractive for future funding
- Increased impact and contributing to a better world.
What You Get Working with OIM
We want to ensure that you remain focused on your number one priority: your inventive work.
To that end, we set expectations and coach you through the entire commercialization process. It all starts with an invention disclosure and our team of licensing experts is here to guide you every step of the way.
Disclose an Invention
Use the MS Word Disclosure Form
Would you rather fill out your Disclosure Form using a Word document? Download this form and work with your Licensing Manager to get it completed and submitted.
An invention disclosure reports an invention or technology created by faculty members, fellows and staff members (including students on appointment as University employees), by anyone using University facilities, or by anyone collaborating with any of the above individuals (“Contributors”).
Inventions may include:
- Processes
- Products
- Software
- Apparatus
- Materials
- Composition of matter
- Living organisms
- Improvements to existing technology
What Do I Need Before Disclosing?
Disclosing an invention is straightforward and the form itself provides detailed instructions to make it as easy as possible. To get you started on your disclosure, we’ve provided you with a complete outline explaining the process and the information you’ll need.
USM IP POLICY
Our Staff
Brian Cuevas, Ph.D.
Director, Office of
Innovation Management
Joseph Graben
Innovation Ecosystem Manager
Natalie Guess
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Program Manager
Rachel Myrick
Paralegal and Office Manager
Hattiesburg:
Office of Innovation Management
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Dr.
Hattiesburg, MS 39406
601.266.4063
Gulf Coast:
Gulf Park Campus
730 East Beach Blvd., Bld. 949
Long Beach, MS 39560
Gulfport:
Gulf & Ship Island Building
2605 13th St.
Gulfport, MS 39501
Vicksburg:
MCITy
1622 Washington St.
Vicksburg, MS 39180