Additional Information
OTD stands ready to assist you to develop ISRA opportunities or conclude a sponsored research agreement.
For additional information, please contact:
Sponsored Research
What is an Industry Sponsored Research Agreement (ISRA)?
An ISRA is a contract between a company and the University, specifying the conditions of the sponsorship. Negotiation of an ISRA is sometimes a balancing act. Academia champions the free and open exchange of ideas, results and data, while industry, concerned with competitive advantage, prefers to protect its information. Yet, with the right planning, project
management, agreement structure and oversight, the interests of both parties will be in alignment and it is possible to collaborate with industry for mutual and lasting benefit. A key issue in an ISRA involves intellectual property. Equitable intellectual property provisions can take a number of forms depending on circumstances. Typically, Harvard retains ownership of an invention arising from sponsored research and offers the sponsoring company an option to negotiate for an appropriate commercial license to those inventions. Ownership by the University is an important issue that is sometimes contested by companies (i.e., the company would like to own any inventions arising from the funded research). Relinquishing ownership relinquishes any control the University may be able to exert to ensure that Harvard inventions are developed and introduced into public use as quickly as possible. It also means that the inventor may not be able to use his/her own invention in his/her own research without the permission of the company.
In many cases (i.e., where the research is conducted in space financed with tax-exempt debt), in order to comply with Federal tax law, Harvard may be required to retain ownership of the invention, and any license granted to the sponsor must be in consideration for fair-market value royalties, determined at the time the invention becomes available for use. (For more information on complying with these requirments of Federal tax law, please contact Nadav Shichor, Director of Technology Transactions.)
Other points of negotiation include the length of the funding period, the length of the option period (if any), terms for a possible, eventual license agreement, and what non-royalty-related rights a company may have to use inventions deriving from the research they have funded. Although some of these negotiations may be protracted, OTD and the company are almost always able to reach acceptable terms.
How can OTD assist you to generate support from industry for your research?
OTD is responsible for ISRAs. This includes the generation of new sponsorship and collaboration opportunities, as well as the negotiation, and execution of the ISRA itself. OTD works closely with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) on ISRAs with respect to post-award activities, for which it is responsible. However, the identification of new ISRA opportunities and the negotiation of ISRAs, as well as all other pre-award activities, are conducted through OTD.
ISRAs are a natural extension and outgrowth of OTD's licensing activities. Our knowledge of, and ability to build relationships with industry facilitates the interaction with industry and, in the long run, stronger collaborations overall. OTD will proactively assist you to identify new opportunities for sponsored projects, and to conclude appropriate agreements in an efficient, expedited manner.
Please make OTD aware of any anticipated, desired, planned and, or potential Interactions with industry involving sponsored research. Please be sure to involve OTD as early in the process as possible. It is important to emphasize that OTD has the expertise and contacts to assist you to generate industrial support for a project, if so desired. We can also assist you to develop a sound, sustainable budget, as appropriate.
We stand ready to assist you to develop ISRA opportunities or conclude a sponsored research agreement. In Cambridge, please don’t hesitate to contact either Alan Gordon (physical, computer and applied sciences) or Laura Brass (Life Sciences), or at the Medical School, Katherine Gordonor Michal Preminger to discuss your ISRA needs.
Please click here to view the Industry Sponsored Research Agreements (ISRAs).