Waseda aims to score profit on tech-exchange conferences

THE NIKKEI WEEKLY (Aug. 11, 2003)

Waseda University plans to launch operations in October to help facilitate the exchange of commercially viable technology across national boundaries.

In the event that a technology transfer agreement is signed as a result of a technology exchange conference, Waseda University will receive a certain percentage of the value of the contract.

The university will hold monthly technology exchange conferences. There, participants, including technology brokerage firms and others from Japan, the U.S., China and South Korea, will present technology. This will enable other participants to broker the sale of technology that promises to be commercially viable to companies in their own countries. In addition, other firms and organizations seeking to buy and sell technology can participate as paying members.

Meetings will be held in Shillman Hall, located next to the campus of the School of Science and Engineering in the ward of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Technology brokerage firms and other participants in the project will be allowed to establish offices there.

Individual members will pay an annual fee of 20,000 yen, and businesses and other organizations will pay about 100,000 yen a year.