□ DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee) announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA; President Ja-yong Koo) at DGIST on Month 26 to promote the technology transfer and commercialization of outstanding intellectual property. Representing President Kunwoo Lee and President Ja-yong Koo at the signing ceremony were Donghwan Kim, DGIST Vice President for Research, and Kyoung-ho Shin, Director of the Intellectual Property Exchange at KIPA, respectively. They were joined by five officials from the two organizations.
□ This collaboration goes beyond simple technology exchange; it focuses on translating outstanding intellectual property developed in laboratories into innovations for industrial applications with real-world technology demand. By combining DGIST’s outstanding research and development capabilities with KIPA’s nationwide corporate network and expertise in intellectual property transactions and valuation, the two organizations aim to maximize the private sector dissemination and commercialization efficiency of public research outcomes.
□ To generate tangible outcomes from the agreement, the two organizations will actively pursue the following: 1) sharing information on outstanding intellectual property and promoting its commercialization, 2) jointly identifying prospective companies suited for industry–academe collaboration and technology transfer, and 3) providing education and fostering practical cooperation in the fields of intellectual property rights and technology transfer.
□ “It is important to ensure that the outstanding technologies and patents created by our researchers do not remain confined to laboratories but are connected to creating tangible value in industrial settings,” stated DGIST Vice President for Research Donghwan Kim. “By working closely with KIPA, we will strengthen the foundation for technology commercialization so that DGIST’s research outcomes can drive innovation and growth for companies.”
□ “Accurately connecting the intellectual property of outstanding research institutions with the technological needs of companies is the key to technology transactions and commercialization,” stated Kyoung-ho Shin, Director of the Intellectual Property Exchange at KIPA. “By actively leveraging KIPA’s expertise and network, we will support DGIST’s outstanding technologies in leading to tangible technology transfer and commercialization outcomes.”
□ Following the signing of the agreement, the two organizations plan to hold working-level consultations to work out the details of specific collaborative initiatives, including the identification of promising intellectual property and connection of technologies with prospective companies. Going forward, DGIST plans to proactively identify companies in need of outstanding research outcomes by further expanding industry–academe–research collaboration and broaden the industrial application of its technologies, thereby contributing to strengthening the nation’s industrial competitiveness.
□ As an intellectual property organization established in 1994, KIPA actively supports the utilization of intellectual property by companies and research institutions through intellectual property valuation, transactions, commercialization support, and operation of Regional Intellectual Property Centers.
