IIT Madras joins hands with KPMG

IIT Madras has increased its focus on filing more patents and monetise its Intellectual Property (IP). It has tied up with consultant KPMG to market its technology IPs, said Krishnan Balasubramanian, Dean, Centre for Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research, IIT Madras.

In 2016-17, the institute filed 120 patents, including 20 international, as against 106 in the previous financial year. Revenue from patents more than doubled to ₹1.85 crore in 2016-17 from nearly ₹90 lakh in the previous financial year.

“Revenue from patents more than quadrupled when compared with two years ago. We have made conscious effort to market our technology and made it easier for the industry to come and work with us,” he told BusinessLine .

Indian industry is waking up to licensing technology for competitive advantage. By licensing IPs, it makes more business sense for them. “We see more companies coming to us to discuss licensing IPs and trying to convert IPs that are generic into something that is more specific to their end use,” he said.

On tie-ups with KPMG, Balasubramanian said it has its own IP division in India and they will market technologies developed at the institute.

The technology basket at IIT Madras is quite diverse and managing such a diverse range of technologies is a big challenge and needs specialists, he said.

In the recent times, water treatment technology has been attracting lots of attention with recent agreement with Eureka Forbes. Similarly, for solar-based technologies and battery-based technologies, there was tie-up with Amara Raja Batteries and for seating with Harita Seating, he said.

The institute has also joined hands with National Research Development Corporation, an enterprise of the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, for commercialisation of technologies/ intellectual properties developed at IITM, he said.

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