CATI presents to patent conference in Japan

CATI's Dr. Matt Wagner at left, during Tokyo panel presentation

Racine got some good publicity last week -- for a nice change.

CATI Executive Director Matthew Wagner made a presentation Jan. 19 and 20 about how CATI, the seven-year-old Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation, brings companies' unwanted patents to market at the 2009 International Patent Licensing Seminar in Tokyo, Japan. CATI manages or owns nearly 300 patented technologies from global corporations.

Wagner was invited by the Japan National Center for Industrial Property Information and Training and the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation. The presentation was entitled “Leveraging Corporate Intellectual Property: A New Innovation Input Model for Regional Economic Development,” and reviewed the use of underutilized and off-strategy corporate technologies as a source of innovation for new business start-ups as well as for growing smaller companies void of extensive R&D efforts.

Wagner also explained the contribution of smaller academic institutions, such as Carthage College, UW-Parkside, and Gateway Technical College as key contributors to this process through student engaged projects aimed at furthering the commercialization process with business plans, marketing plans, and ideation sessions.

Wagner said Japanese corporations represent approximately 30 percent of all foreign patents filed in the United States. “This was a great opportunity to showcase Southeast Wisconsin and our activities. As a result of the presentation we have already received inquires from firms interested in evaluating out-licensing engagements with CATI,” Wagner said.

Wagner was on a panel with Dr. Takuji Sawaya, director of research, for the Hakodate Regional Industry Promotion Organization, and Dr. Riichiro Ohba, a professor at Sojo University.

P.S. Wagner is no slouch himself in the PhD department. Although I edited the "Dr." from in front of his name, he earned his doctorate in December from UW-Milwaukee, in urban affairs, with a research focus on minority entrepreneurship. When kidded about his new academic stature, Wagner said, "I promise not to start wearing sweater vests or carry a pipe."