Entrepreneurshipを探る旅:スタンフォード・MBA・MOT2005-12-07T13:04:50+09:00yoshinoriueda清涼剤はSilicon Valleyの抜けるような青い空。そして・・・Excite Blogどの特許が儲かるかを見分けるのは難しいhttp://entre.exblog.jp/2764705/2005-12-07T12:40:00+09:002005-12-07T13:04:50+09:002005-12-04T07:40:55+09:00yoshinoriuedaスタンフォード・MBA・MOT
それにしても、特許を使わせる権利と引き換えに得た株でこんなに多くのお金を得ることができるなんて、全国の大学関係者や企業にとっては、羨ましい限りであろう。ただ、どの特許がこのように化けるかは、スタンフォード大学でさえ、「見極め困難」とのこと。これについては、技術移転を進めるOTLのサイトには、以下のような記述が見られる。 First, and perhaps most important, since university inventions are generally far ahead of the state-of-the-art of industrial practice and commerce, it is difficult to make meaningful value judgments so early in the game. By concentrating only on the easily perceived winners, we would invariably make some critical mistakes. The original patent and license for FM Sounds provides the perfect example. For four years, between 1971 and 1975, we tried to interest U.S. companies in Professor John Chowning's invention - an algorithm that would eventually revolutionize the electronic music industry by creating a new kind of music synthesizer. Finally, an engineer from Yamaha understood the potential of this invention, and the company was granted an exclusive license to manufacture a synthesizer based on the algorithm. Even so, Professor Chowning spent another seven years collaborating with Yamaha to develop the invention before it could be marketed. No one would deny that this was time well spent, however, for FM Sounds carries the distinction of being the second most lucrative invention ever licensed by OTL.
(注:下線はyoshinoriuedaによる)source:OTL websiteスタンフォード大学で開発されたFM音源合成の技術については、ヤマハの先見性が素晴らしいというのではなく、儲かるかどうかを見分けることに「失敗」した例として紹介されているというところが面白い。