Cooperative Research and Development Agreements
A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) is the mechanism through which a federally funded research institution transfers technology, processes, and technical know-how they have developed to the private sector for commercialization.
Lincoln Laboratory enters into CRADAs when collaborative research supports its mission and program objectives. Partnering with us under a CRADA may help your business achieve commercial and scientific success by providing access to our unique technologies, technical expertise, and facilities, including the Defense Microelectronics Activity certified/trusted Microelectronics Laboratory and the STRIVE Center used in bioengineering R&D.
Among the research areas we are interested in are autonomous systems and robotics, synthetic biology, energy, quantum computing, advanced electronics and sensors, and cyber security. If you believe a collaborative R&D project will benefit your business and our R&D efforts, start by contacting us at [email protected]. You can review the terms and conditions of our CRADA agreement here.
Considerations when contemplating a CRADA
Intellectual property (IP)
MIT provides a license that allows access to and use of any prior IP necessary for the partner to perform the R&D contracted in the CRADA. A royalty-bearing license is also available to the CRADA partner for any prior IP necessary for commercialization of IP created during the collaboration.
IP created by either partner during the CRADA is owned solely by that partner; IP created jointly is owned jointly. In most cases, the CRADA-generated IP is subject to a Government Use License, which is explained in our CRADA brochure.
Funding restrictions
The Laboratory is permitted to provide only technical resources, such as personnel, services, facilities, and expertise to a CRADA program. The business partner must provide funding and in-kind contributions. In-kind contributions are noncash contributions of labor, property, or services. All CRADAs require the business partner to supply some form of in-kind contribution to support the collaborative nature of the research.
Advance funding
Work on the project cannot begin until a minimum of 90-day advance funding is received from the CRADA business partner.