In a major achievement, The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has recorded a doubling of patents in 2023 compared to that of 2022. While the number of patents granted in 2022 were 156, the patents granted in 2023 totalled to 300.
This apart, the number of international patents filed also recorded a significant increase, going up to 105 during 2023, from 58 in the preceding year.
“As we are marching towards our 100th year of Independence, for Bharat to become a superpower it is very important to protect our ideas. In this direction, I congratulate the faculty and students and the Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) who have put together a very comprehensive program, by which we have created a record in the number of patents filed,” said Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.
Researchers at IIT Madras are proactively generating intellectual property (IP) in domains such as wireless networks, advanced materials, robotics, additive manufacturing technology, engine advancements, assistive devices, advanced sensor applications, clean energy, aerospace applications, polymer material and thin films, catalysts, and biomedical applications among many other emerging technologies.
“The institute has made it easy for inventors to access existing patent information through an online AI-based patent search tools. This facility has helped the inventors not only to quickly evaluate the invention by themselves but also to improve their ideas and claims. The emphasis is also equally on the quality of the work being translated as IP. This is only possible because of the collaborative effort of our inventors and the IP team,” said Prof Manu Santhanam, Dean (IC&SR), IIT Madras.
“There are three aspects of IP enabling at IITM, these includes clarifying, simplifying and demystifying IP filling, providing support for quick filing and follow-up without the faculty losing time or worrying about procedures and facilitating technology transfer and monetization of IP. The success stories and incentives are helping considerably,” said Prof Ravindra Gettu, former Dean (ICSR), IIT Madras.
The Institute has taken various initiatives to boost IP/Patent Application filings and technology transfer including Simple IP Management Tool, Availing Fee Reduction, Fast-tracking applications, IPR awareness Workshop and motivating reserchers by rewarding or providing incentives to the best-performing researchers.
“Seeing our Lab Research translated into solutions that impact others is the prime motivation. IIT Madras Technology going global is amazing. We are also making a difference to our startup eco-system by licensing the IP to our own startups on soft-terms enabling them to make an impact in India and elsewhere. The IP cell is extremely responsive where speed to filing, renewing, etc. are well streamlined and ease of doing business is the prime USP. The monetization of the IP is also now well organized and moving forward," said Prof Krishnan Balasubramaniam of Mechanical Engineering Department
