Yissum Research Development Company
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| Yissum Research Development Company | |
|---|---|
| Name | Yissum Research Development Company |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| Headquarters | Jerusalem |
| Industry | Technology transfer |
Yissum Research Development Company
Yissum Research Development Company is the technology transfer company founded to commercialize inventions from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and related Israeli academic research, operating from Jerusalem with global reach. It acts as an interface among inventors at institutions such as Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Science, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, and external partners including Tel Aviv University, Weizmann Institute of Science, and multinational corporations. Yissum has generated hundreds of patents, startups, and licensed technologies that connect to industries represented by companies like Intel, Google, Pfizer, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and Microsoft.
History
Founded in 1964 by Hebrew University of Jerusalem leadership linked to figures from the Jerusalem Municipality and supported by Israeli science policy organizations such as Israel Innovation Authority predecessors, the company emerged during an era shaped by institutions including the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and initiatives like the Yozma program. Early decades saw technology transfer models influenced by practices at Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley, while regional collaborations connected to Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and Bar-Ilan University. Over time Yissum adapted to shifts caused by legislation such as frameworks analogous to the Bayh–Dole Act and engaged with private equity firms, venture capital funds including Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, and corporate R&D units like IBM Research and Intel Israel. Milestones include spin-offs and licensing deals with companies like ICQ founders and collaborations informed by conferences such as Venture Capital National Conference and trade missions to Silicon Valley, London, and Tokyo.
Mission and Structure
The organizational mission aligns with stakeholders including Hebrew University of Jerusalem administrators, principal investigators from departments linked to Einstein Institute of Mathematics, Faculty of Medicine, and the School of Business Administration. Governance involves boards with representatives from philanthropic entities like Sachs Foundation and governmental advisory panels influenced by the Ministry of Science and Technology (Israel). Operational divisions mirror those at technology transfer offices such as Kauffman Foundation-inspired entrepreneurship units, incubators similar to Yozma, and research commercialization teams paralleling structures at Columbia University and Cambridge University Technology and Enterprise Club. The structure supports legal counsel, business development, patent management, and startup incubation, coordinating with accelerators like Techstars and incubators such as Ramp Rate-style programs.
Technology Transfer and Commercialization
Yissum's technology transfer activities encompass invention disclosure processing, intellectual property prosecution, licensing negotiation, and startup formation. It employs practices comparable to offices at University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and Johns Hopkins University and maintains patent portfolios managed by firms similar to Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner and in-house legal teams familiar with offices such as the European Patent Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Commercialization has targeted sectors with players like Novartis, Roche, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Bayer, and Johnson & Johnson, facilitating transactions with corporate venture arms such as Google Ventures and Johnson & Johnson Innovation. The company supports spin-offs across biomedical fields citing precedents from Genentech and technology sectors similar to Mobileye and Waze.
Notable Innovations and Spin-offs
Yissum has incubated ventures and licensed technologies that led to well-known startups and products, connecting to exemplars like Mobileye, Waze, ICQ, MeMed, and pharmaceuticals paralleling discoveries at Genzyme or Amgen. Spin-offs include companies in biotechnology, software, materials science, and agriculture, with technologies impacting diagnostics, therapeutics, cybersecurity, and semiconductors. Numerous alumni founders and CEOs have backgrounds involving institutions such as Harvard Medical School, MIT School of Engineering, Columbia Business School, London School of Economics, Harvard Business School, and have attracted investment from entities like Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Bessemer Venture Partners.
Partnerships and Collaborations
Collaborations span academia, industry, and government with partners including Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Hadassah Medical Center, Rambam Health Care Campus, Clalit Health Services, and international universities such as University of Oxford, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of California, San Diego, ETH Zurich, Peking University, and National University of Singapore. Industry partnerships involve multinational corporations like Intel Corporation, Google LLC, Microsoft Corporation, Pfizer Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Medtronic, and Siemens Healthineers, and alliances with venture capital firms, angel networks, and accelerators including Y Combinator and OurCrowd.
Intellectual Property and Licensing
The company's portfolio covers patents, trademarks, and know-how spanning technologies filed with offices such as the Israel Patent Office, European Patent Office, and United States Patent and Trademark Office. Licensing strategies work with law firms and agents with experience in transactions involving multinational corporations like Roche Holding AG, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Licensing models include exclusive and non-exclusive licenses, equity-based deals, milestone payments, and royalties, reflecting best practices taught in courses at Harvard Law School and Stanford Law School.
Impact and Recognition
Yissum's impact is reflected in economic contributions to Israel's high-technology sector, job creation in Jerusalem District, and recognition by international industry analysts and awards connected to organizations such as World Intellectual Property Organization-aligned events and leading entrepreneurship rankings produced by entities like Forbes and The Economist. Its alumni and spin-offs feature in lists curated by Bloomberg, Fortune, and Nature Biotechnology, and its collaborations have influenced public health initiatives coordinated with institutions like World Health Organization and philanthropic partners including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.