EPA Licensing Information
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EPA negotiates licenses with qualified businesses and individuals that want to commercialize inventions resulting from EPA research. Interested parties can apply for a license by completing EPA's license application and submitting it to the Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA) staff.
What is technology licensing?
EPA’s goal is to get the Agency’s technologies out into the marketplace where they can help protect human health and the environment. EPA licenses technologies non-exclusively. Exceptions to this are when the licensee is a co-inventor of the technology, or there is an overwhelming justification for granting an exclusive license.
How do you obtain a license?
- Complete and submit a license application to FTTA staff. There is no fee associated with submission of a license application.
EPA's license application form (doc) (56 KB) - EPA initiates internal review of your license application.
- This involves engaging the applicable EPA laboratory management, EPA’s legal staff, and the FTTA staff.
- NOTE: This process may take a few months, and could involve requests for additional information from the applicant, or calls to discuss the application and business plan further.
- If the application is accepted, FTTA staff draft a license agreement for review by all parties.
What do you gain from licensing?
Licensor:
- See our technologies mature to further support human health and the environment.
Licensee:
- Gain access to advanced technology or intellectual property without excessive research and development costs.
- Easier entry into new markets or industries.
- Competitive edge if gaining access to new technology.
- Less costs with research and development.
- Less risk due to shared risk with licensor.