928-523-4620
nauinnovations@nau.eduWorking with industry partners
NAU inventors work with a wide variety of industry partners to conduct research and develop technologies for commercialization. Examples include:
Biomedical researchers working with physicians and other healthcare professionals in a clinical setting to develop assays to diagnose disease.
Forestry researchers working with representatives of the forest products industry to improve utilization of biomass.
Zoologists working with pest management experts to develop new technologies for reducing pest fertility.
The NAU Innovations team can work with you to identify potential industry partners in your field and make the initial contacts, so you can discuss your research with interested parties at the appropriate time. We will help build relationships and discuss NAU intellectual property, tech transfer services, research capacity, and collaborative opportunities.
Identifying potential industry partners
If you wish to engage in collaborative and/or sponsored work with industry, but don’t have any current projects, you can meet with the NAU Innovations team to discuss how we can help find and connect with interested parties.
Confidentiality agreements
It is often a good idea to have a confidentiality agreement in place when speaking with an outside company. Our office is happy to reach out to any commercial or industry partners as well as execute confidentiality agreements to protect NAU faculty and staff. Send our office a request by email or by phone, including the following information, and we will set up an agreement for you:
- name of company
- company point of contact (administrator or researcher)
- brief description of the purpose of discussions
Travel Fund grants
We’re currently piloting a program to provide funding for NAU inventors to travel to face-to-face meetings with potential industry partners. Learn more about the NAU Innovations travel fund and how to apply for a grant.
Read the FAQs provided on industry partners to learn more.