SURVEY OF ATP APPLICANTS 2000
5. ATP Helps Companies Work with Universities

Research collaboration benefits both companies and universities. Universities contribute new ideas, as well as fundamental research understanding. Companies provide an opportunity to shape innovative ideas into practical industrial applications. Through its cost-shared funding, the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) encourages Research and Development (R&D) collaboration between companies, and with other organizations such as universities, as a means to achieving broader or more complex R&D goals. Evidence from the Survey of ATP Applicants 2000 shows that ATP fosters collaboration between companies and universities.

Two-thirds of ATP applicants proposed projects that were based on university research

• 15 percent of applicants proposed projects based to a "large degree" on university research, 20 percent to a "moderate degree," and 32 percent to "some degree." (See Figure 1.)
• By technology area, the percentage of applicants that reported their proposed project was based on university research to a "large" or "moderate" degree is as follows: Information Technology, 45 percent; Biotechnology, 45 percent; Materials/Chemistry, 31 percent; Electronics, 23 percent.
  

FIGURE 1. Degree to which Proposed ATP Project Was Based on University Research


[Descriptive link for Figure 1]

Nearly one in five ATP applicants proposed projects that depend on technology licensed from a university

• 18 percent of applicants proposed projects that depend on technology licensed from a university.
  
• By technology area, the percentage of applicants that reported their proposed project depended on technology licensed from universities is as follows: Biotechnology, 36 percent; Information Technology, 16 percent; Materials/ Chemistry, 13 percent; Electronics, 11 percent. (See Figure 2.)
  

FIGURE 2. ATP Applicants with Proposed Projects Based on University License,
by Technology Area

[Descriptive link for Figure 2]

More than half of ATP applicants report that university involvement was critical to their proposed project

• 19 percent say university involvement was "very critical;" 32 percent report it was "somewhat critical." (See Figure 3.)
  
• By technology area, the percentage of applicants that reported university involvement was "very critical" to their proposed project is as follows: Information Technology, 31 percent; Biotechnology, 20 percent; Materials/ Chemistry, 16 percent; Electronics, 13 percent.
  

FIGURE 3. How Critical Was University Involvement to Proposed ATP Project?

[Descriptive link for Figure 3]

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Date created: June 24, 2003
Last updated: August 2, 2005

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