CCAT's History
In 1999, a collaborative industry-academia-government partnership was formed among ORINCON Corporation, San Diego State University, University of California, San Diego, and SPAWAR Systems Center, San Diego. The objective of the partnership was to establish a technology commercialization program to help small businesses as well as academic and government scientists advance their proven technologies to the marketplace.
With strong congressional support, the partnership received its initial round of funding in July 2001 and established the Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology (CCAT). A second center at California State University San Bernardino became operational in year 2. During the ensuing eight years, the program with continued annual appropriations conducted 46 competitive solicitations, rated 1152 applications, and worked with 173 technologies from 145 companies, academic institutions and government laboratories nationwide. Approximately $34.6 million in awards and services were provided with 51.9% of the CCAT clients achieving at least one or more of the following critical commercialization milestones:
- additional research and development funding (capital investment, SBIR awards, etc)
- license/CRADA agreements between university/government labs and industry
- partnerships/mergers/acquisitions
- market penetration (e.g., sales)
In particular, through December 2009, the program facilitated:
- over $135 million of 3rd party investment funds for 56 clients
- over $80.1 million in sales of 36 technologies
- 18 mergers/acquisitions/partnerships (GE, Titan, L3, Roche, Harris, etc.)
- 18 technologies from government/academic laboratories transitioned into existing and 9 new start-up companies
Since the CCAT program is Congressionally supported, one of the primary objectives is to seek out and secure new sponsorships. In 2008, CCAT San Diego successfully established the 1401 Program which supports the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Homeland Security in transitioning DoD-funded technologies to the first responders. More recently, the Center has established and is receiving funding from the Department of Homeland Security for a similar program of identifying, promoting and transitioning advanced technologies to meet priority HLS and first responder requirements. More information about these two new programs is available on the CCAT San Diego website at www.ccatsandiego.org.
For additional information check out the archive page links on the left for CCAT newsletters, portfolio, success stories and testimonials.
