Industry Partnerships
Rigorous proof-of-concept validation with clear IP protection and first-refusal licensing
De-Risked Innovation
University-validated proof-of-concept before commercial investment
IP Protection
Confidential research, exclusive evaluation window, patent filing time
Fast Execution
No grant cycles, immediate start, university partnerships ready
Built on proven click chemistry platform technology.View our technology & patent portfolio →
How Intellectual Property Protection Works
Your investment is protected. Here's exactly how the timeline works:
Confidential Research Period
Work happens under confidentiality agreement. Nothing published, nothing disclosed.
- • Research conducted through university partnerships
- • Results shared exclusively with you
- • No public disclosure during active project
Exclusive Evaluation Window (6-12 months)
After research completion, you get exclusive time to assess results and make decisions.
- • Review all data and findings
- • Assess commercial viability
- • File patents on your specific implementation
- • No publication until after your decision
Your Decision: Three Options
You choose what happens next:
Option A: License Exclusively
File patents, commercialize, pay fair royalties. You have exclusive rights.
Option B: License Non-Exclusively
Lower cost, use alongside others, still protected implementation.
Option C: Pass
No further obligation. MAAD can publish or offer to others after your window.
Publication (After Your Decision)
MAAD publishes proof-of-concept methodology to advance the field.
- • General approach and validation data
- • Enables other researchers to build on work
- • Doesn't prevent your patents on specific implementation
What Gets Published vs. What You Protect
Published by MAAD (Enables Others)
- →Proof-of-concept methodology
How we validated the approach works - →Target selection rationale
Why this target matters - →General approach
Type of chemistry, binder modality used - →Validation data
It works under these lab conditions
Protectable by You (Competitive Advantage)
- →Specific optimized formulations
Your manufacturing process - →Scale-up methodology
How to make it economically at volume - →Application-specific modifications
Your particular use case implementation - →Integration with your systems
Proprietary combinations and processes - →Manufacturing trade secrets
Process optimization and know-how
Real Example: PFAS Capture Technology
MAAD Publishes:
"Porphyrin-based binders capture PFAS in water samples. Validated in lab conditions at 20°C, pH 7, showing 85% capture efficiency."
You Patent:
"Industrial PFAS removal system using specific porphyrin formulation X at temperature Y in continuous flow-through reactor Z with regeneration process for commercial water treatment."
The proof-of-concept validates the approach. Your implementation makes it commercially viable. Both coexist.
Partnership Structure
Investment Range: $50K - $500K
Project-based funding covering proof-of-concept research, university partnerships, student involvement, validation studies, and comprehensive reporting.
What Your Investment Covers:
- • University partnership setup and oversight
- • Student researcher time (undergrad/grad)
- • Materials and reagents
- • Validation studies and controls
- • Data analysis and interpretation
- • Comprehensive reporting and presentations
- • IP evaluation and strategy consultation
Timeline:
- • Kickoff: Immediate (no grant cycles)
- • Research: 3-6 months (semester-based)
- • Reporting: Comprehensive deliverables
- • Evaluation window: 6-12 months post-completion
- • Licensing decision: Your timeline
Royalty Structure (If You License)
Fair ongoing royalties sustain MAAD research infrastructure serving all patron tiers. Rates negotiated based on exclusive vs. non-exclusive licensing, market size, and deployment scale.
Philosophy: Royalties should enable your commercial success while sustaining the research ecosystem. We're not maximizing extraction—we're building long-term partnerships.
Who This Partnership Model Serves
✓ Good Fit If You:
- • Have a defined technical challenge needing validation
- • Want rigorous proof-of-concept before major investment
- • Value university-validated research
- • Need faster execution than traditional grant-funded research
- • Appreciate transparent methodology and open science principles
- • Understand value of published proof-of-concept for market credibility
- • Want first-refusal rights without obligation to license
✗ Not a Fit If You:
- • Require complete methodology lockdown (no publication ever)
- • Need full-time dedicated lab (not semester-project timeline)
- • Want to own all IP outright (not licensing model)
- • Expect instant commercial-scale results (this is proof-of-concept)
- • Need regulatory filing support (we validate science, not navigate FDA)
- • Require exclusivity with no publication (contradicts public benefit mission)
Example Partnership Applications
Environmental Remediation
"Can we capture PFAS from industrial wastewater using designed binders?"
MAAD validates proof-of-concept. You patent industrial-scale system.
Materials Innovation
"Can DNA-programmed assembly work for our manufacturing process?"
MAAD proves concept. You protect specific application to your industry.
Diagnostic Tools
"Can we detect biomarker X with designed nanobodies affordably?"
MAAD validates detection. You commercialize diagnostic kit.
Surface Chemistry
"Can silane coatings improve our product performance?"
MAAD tests approach. You optimize for your manufacturing.
Drug Delivery
"Can click chemistry enable targeted delivery to tissue Y?"
MAAD proves targeting. You develop therapeutic application.
Agricultural Tech
"Can we detect soil contaminants with biosensors at scale?"
MAAD validates sensing. You build commercial deployment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the research shows the idea doesn’t work?
That’s still a success. Negative results are published and shared, advancing the field and saving you from investing further in an approach that doesn’t scale. You supported rigorous science, gained clarity early, and have no ongoing obligation.
Can confidentiality or evaluation periods be extended?
Yes. Confidentiality and evaluation windows can be adjusted within reason to support patent filing, internal review, or commercial assessment. Our goal is successful translation, not rushed disclosure.
Who owns the intellectual property (IP)?
MAAD projects use a standard background IP / foreground IP model.
- • IP brought into the project remains owned by the original owner
- • New IP created during the project is owned based on contribution and may be co-owned
IP terms are defined at the start of each project, aligned with institutional policies and funding programs (e.g. Riipen, Mitacs). Where appropriate, MAAD secures clear licensing pathways so successful work can move toward real-world use.
What if multiple organizations want the same technology?
Early partners receive first right to negotiate licensing. If exclusivity isn’t pursued, technologies may be licensed non-exclusively across different applications—often reducing cost per partner and speeding deployment.
How is MAAD different from a contract research organization (CRO)?
CROs sell services. MAAD builds partnerships. We work through universities and applied research centers to deliver rigorous validation, often at lower cost, while also strengthening public- benefit research infrastructure.
Can we support or collaborate on multiple projects at once?
Yes. Many partners support a portfolio of proof-of-concept studies across different challenges. Multi-project collaborations can include priority access and coordinated timelines.
Start a Conversation
Have a technical challenge that needs rigorous validation? Let's discuss how MAAD can help.
Dr. Hannah Sanford-Crane, PhD
drhannah@maadscientisttech.com