Federal Research Laboratories Develop Innovative Technologies, FLC Facilitates Their Commercialization
The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC), established in 1974 by Congress (15 U.S.C. § 3710(e)), is a nationwide network of U.S. federal labs and research institutions. Its primary aim is to promote collaborative partnerships among these labs, fostering the exchange of knowledge and best practices in technology transfer.
The FLC's new board members hail from various agencies, each bringing a unique approach to tech transfer. Their goal is to share insights and collaborate on strategies to enhance the transfer of innovations from federal labs to the marketplace.
Dr. Whitney Hastings has been elected as the new chair of the FLC. With this new role, she will set the strategy for tech transfer, education, and facilitating connections with industry. The FLC encourages scientists to work with tech transfer offices and the FLC to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not wasted and that innovations are made available to the public.
The FLC operates as a quasi-government agency, aiming to help federal labs transfer research to the marketplace. It facilitates connections with industry at conferences such as the Bio International Conference or CES, helping to move technologies forward. The FLC's mechanisms include research and development agreements, partnership agreements, and licensing of federal technologies.
The FLC's website, federallabs.org, provides information on conferences, successes, and the FLC's direction. It also offers the FLC Weekly Digest and the FLC Business portal, through which firms can connect with the FLC. The FLC is planning a national meeting in May in Seattle, Washington, for sharing best practices in tech transfer.
The FLC's mission is to increase awareness of technologies and innovations and bring them to the marketplace. It has over 300 member labs, including those from the Department of Energy, NASA, NIH, and multiple Department of Defense labs. The FLC's goal is to help make federal lab breakthroughs in areas like energy, health, and defense reach the marketplace as products that help people and the economy.
In its 50-year history, the FLC has marked numerous successes in transferring technologies from labs to the marketplace. It has an awards program to highlight these successes, demonstrating its commitment to promoting tech transfer and fostering innovation. As the FLC continues its work, it remains dedicated to facilitating connections between federal labs and industry, bridging the gap between research and practical application.
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