About the Office of Cooperative Research
Since its founding in 1982, the Yale Office of Cooperative Research (OCR) has built a significant portfolio of inventions and patents and has grown into an engine of regional economic development. Its mission is to facilitate the translation of research from Yale’s labs into products and services that benefit society. OCR is recognized as a leading force for catalyzing economic growth by identifying, counseling and nurturing early-stage technologies and guiding the transition into robust companies. The genesis of university technology transfer offices was birthed from a visionary piece of legislation called The University and Small Business Patent Procedures Act, better known as “The Bayh-Dole” Act that became law on December 12, 1980. This monumental legislation recently celebrated its 40th anniversary by commemorating its history and the transformative benefits to American innovation, society at large, and the economy.
Yale OCR’s Mission
OCR’s mission is to guide and support Yale researchers in the advancement of their innovations in furtherance of the University’s goal of fostering a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and partnership across the Yale community, in order to:
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Enhance the research reputation of the university.
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Assist Yale in recruiting and retaining the best faculty, staff, and students.
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Catalyze local economic development through new venture startups.
Our Team
The team at OCR is skilled at identifying technologies with market potential, navigating the patent process, connecting Yale researchers with academic and industry partners, building management teams and introducing startups to funding sources.
Yale innovators have changed the course of history, and Yale inventions and discoveries have transformed nearly every discipline, including medicine, education, electronics, physics, business, geology and chemistry. And that tradition of Yale greatness continues today. From renowned Yale inventors like Eli Whitney to the university’s recent Nobel Prize-winning scientists, Yale faculty and students continue to find new solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.