TLB - At the Forefront of Commercialization of University Inventions in Germany

The Technology-Lizenz-Büro (TLB; Technology Licensing Office) of the higer education institutions of Baden-Wuerttemberg GmbH stands for successful technology transfer out of universities into industry. TLB operates at the intersection between higher education research institutes in the German State of Baden-Wuerttemberg and the broader economy and offers easy access for industry to a braod range of attractive research and development outcomes.

The secret to our succes is our extensive portfolio of first class patented technologies with substantial commercial potential and the competence and know-how of our staff. Our team has 15 staff members with each contributing their extensive scientific knowledge and talent and plenty of experience and knowledge regarding patenting and the commercialization of technologies emanating from universities.

TLB and the then Fraunhofer Patent Office for German Research were the leading examples that were followed when patent commercialization agencies were established in universities and other higher education establishments right around Germany. Among thes organisations, TLB stands out as by far the most successful when measured in terms of success in achieving commercialization as well as in terms of license fess earned from patents.

The TLB GmbH is a service provider which is available to all universities and other higher education establishments, as well as university hospitals, mainly in the German State of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Members of the TLB are all nine universities of Baden-Wuerttemberg, the Hochschulen Konstanz and Offenburg, representing the Hochschulen (institutes/universities of technology and of applied sciences etc.), the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung gGmbH, as well as the Mitteständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Baden-Wuerttemberg GmbH (which provides equity capital to SMEs

TLB´s Roots

In the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, located in the south of Germany, it was recognized early on that there was a need for action regarding the protection and commercialization of university inventions. In 1987 a pilot project was implemented at the University of Karlsruhe, assisted financially by the State Economics Ministry. The objective of the pilot project was in the first instance to evaluate whether and to what extent the professional management of university inventions was feasible and desirable given the special framework applicable to the university sector in Germany.

This pilot project at the University of Karlsruhe developed successfully and, following an evaluation by the Ministry in 1994, was given the task in 1995 of providing its services to inventors located at all universities within the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. At this point, the original pilot became the Technology Licensing Office of the Tertiary Education Instituions of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg, in German known as Technologie-Lizenz-Büro der Baden-Württembergischen Hochschulen (TLB). In August 1998, it was given the current legal structure of a GmbH under German law, i.e. a company with limited liability.