Spin-off companies at the University

Playing a role in the region’s economic life and appearing as a partner in innovative activities of companies that are established nearby is an important goal of University of Debrecen. Therefore the University supports commercialization of research results through spin-off companies.
A spin-off company, in the classical sense, is established in order to commercialize an intellectual creation/research result.  The university transfers all rights of using the intellectual product/research result by transfer or licensing to the spin-off company by signing a written agreement. Hence the university being the owner of the IP (members share) is not a condition for starting a spin-off. The only criteria is that the spin-off shall be founded with the purpose of commercializing a technology originating (spinning off)  from the university and that the conditions of cooperation shall be agreed on in writing. Further information about the university spin-off companies can be found here. 

So regarding spin-off companies the basic condition is the ratified agreement between the company and the university, putting the following on record:

• detailed regulation regarding research cooperation between the company and the university,  circumscription of activities.
• regulations regarding office rentals (as long as the company operates within university premises)
• Regulations regarding usage of the university infrastructure (if relevant)
• Regulations with the purpose of releasing the conflict of interest
• Enlisting incubation services of Technology and Knowledge Transfer Office

Specific provisions relating to the area of university technology utilization require separate agreement each time (licensing agreement).
At the University of Debrecen the Technology Transfer Center is responsible for all administration related to spin-off companies. TTO performs basic pre-incubation and incubation tasks within the framework of virtual incubation, hence it is able to support managing spin-off companies in the following areas: Technology-rating regarding business and industrial law protection, shaping a business model, estimating innovation within the idea, company foundation related expertise, providing trainings, legal expertise, managing industrial law processes, technology transfer, partner search. You can read further information about TTO incubation service by clicking here.

If you are planning on founding a spin-off company as a researcher at the University of Debrecen please contact TTO associates.