ADELPHI, MD - The Army Research Lab (ARL) has launched a new website that will make it easy for companies to find and gain rights to ARL’s patented technologies.

The ARL IP Store is a website that allows users to browse technologies, select a specific opportunity, download the patent and published papers, and apply for a license to make, use and sell the technology, all on-line. The store is opening with an inventory of 20 technologies — from remote sensing devices to advanced materials and semiconductors. This initial inventory represents only a fraction of ARL’s over 300 active patents, and the store will continually add new selections.

“We’re hoping that putting some of our patented technologies into an online store will bring these technologies to the attention of entrepreneurs who can bring them to market,” said Thomas Mulkern, chief of the ARL Technology Transfer and Outreach Office. “The Army Research Lab is eager to work with the business community.”

The online store, a first-of-kind licensing portal for the Department of Defense, came about through a team effort including ARL and two of its key partners in the technology transfer arena, TechLink and Leidos Corp. The team began working in January 2016 to identify patents that would be good candidates for the store, especially those approaching a second round of maintenance fees.

“These are great technologies that just haven’t had the right exposure, or found the right home,” notes Dan Swanson, Licensing Leader at TechLink. “By promoting them in an online store, and making the licensing language and terms straightforward and affordable, we hope to move the technologies out into the world where they can do some good.”

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to ensure decisive overmatch for unified land operations to empower the army, the joint warfighter and the United States. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

TechLink helps the Department of Defense to establish licensing and other technology transfer agreements with U.S. industry. These agreements transfer Department of Defense inventions to industry, enable companies to create new products and services, and stimulate economic development.