Technology Transfer

Supporting Virginia Tech innovators at every step

Discovery that Delivers

Every day, our researchers are generating technologies with the potential to transform industries — from healthcare and clean energy to AI, advanced manufacturing, and beyond. But we know discovery is only the beginning.

To turn ideas into impact, we apply expertise across the entire innovation journey. Our LICENSE team moves beyond traditional tech transfer by offering value-added assessment services and insight with business-friendly negotiation and licensing. And through LAUNCH, Virginia Tech researchers receive the support they need to start technology ventures designed to make a difference.

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10-year impact

For the past decade, we’ve accelerated the translation of Virginia Tech research into real-world solutions. Virginia Tech is regularly featured in the National Academy of Inventors’ Top 100 universities for issued patents.

250+ license deals

~1500 new invention disclosures

1300+ patents filed

How we turn innovations
into tangible results

Our driving force is helping scientific discoveries and inventions reach the public. Serving as the vital bridge between research and real-world applications, we build strong, lasting relationships with inventors, partners, and entrepreneurs. Together, we chart the smartest path forward, then stay aligned step by step from invention disclosure to startup creation.

The people who
make it happen

Virginia Tech's faculty and researchers are building the future through discovery and ingenuity.
From intelligent systems to life-saving therapies, their work is making a difference where it matters most.

Inventor spotlight

Aaron Noble

Mining and Minerals Engineering

A three-time Hokie, Noble is exploring how to extract critical minerals from industrial wastes. Critical minerals are essential for modern technology, but restrictive supply chains put their availability at risk. His research has produced eight U.S. patents — four of which have been licensed to various industry affiliates.

Latest news

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Mohamed Seleem elected fellow of the National Academy of Inventors , article Date: 12/11/2025 -
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Up to $40 million in federal funding fuels research to revolutionize clean indoor air , article Date: 12/05/2025 -
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University Libraries project helps athletes 'train and play smarter' , article Date: 11/20/2025 -

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National Academy of Inventors

The National Academy of Inventors has recognized over 20 Virginia Tech faculty members, including our own President Sands, for groundbreaking research and patented technologies.

Mohamed Seleem, 2025
Jeff Reed, 2024
Eric Burger, 2023*
Robin McCarley, 2023
Roe-Hoan Yoon, 2022
Alan Michaels, 2021*
Fred Lee, 2017
Xiang-Jin Meng, 2014*
Timothy Sands, 2012

*Lifetime fellow

Our Cross-Cutting
Technologies

Businesses of all sizes solve problems and accelerate growth by licensing cutting-edge technologies developed at Virginia Tech. Our vital discoveries across high-impact fields serve our mission to bring new products and services to market to benefit the public good.

Search Technologies

Context-Aware Dataset Sharing and Trading System

The core challenge for businesses in data-driven sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and finance is how to securely and effectively collaborate on AI development without exposing sensitive or proprietary data. While combining datasets from different organizations can significantly improve AI model accuracy, current approaches such...

Automated Program Synthesis From Natural Language For Computer Games

The main challenge in turning natural language into working game code lies in bridging the gap between how people describe ideas and how computers execute instructions. From a business perspective, this creates a barrier for nontechnical users who want to design games but lack programming expertise. Existing tools often rely on rigid,...

VISTA Seismic Tomography Program

A major challenge in underground excavation monitoring lies in the lack of a scalable, real-time solution that can reliably map evolving rock stress across large, complex mine environments. Existing tools like point-based sensors and numerical simulations offer limited, localized insights and often miss early warning signs of major seismic...

Shape-Changing Spoon for Assistive Eating

The main challenge in developing robot assisted feeding systems lies in bridging the gap between technical performance and user acceptance. Current solutions struggle to gain traction because robots using traditional utensils like forks and spoons cannot reliably handle the wide variety of food textures and shapes, often resulting in...

Micron-Level Structured Light 3D Scanner Development

In industries such as additive manufacturing, aerospace, and medical device production urgently need fast and reliable surface measurement tools capable of capturing features at the micron level, yet current commercial 3D scanning systems cannot deliver this performance. Most scanners are limited to about 50 micrometers in resolution,...

Technology Transfer

From lab to market

Discovery that Delivers