The Innovation Accord
We, the undersigned leaders of higher education institutions, technology transfer organizations, research networks, and innovation ecosystems, stand united in our recognition that academic research is the bedrock of global human progress.
From life-saving therapeutics and clean energy technologies to foundational advances in computing and materials science, the discoveries born in university laboratories possess the power to solve our most critical challenges, propel economic growth, and improve lives everywhere.
However, great ideas do not move from the lab bench to the global market by accident. The journey from raw scientific discovery to tangible public benefit requires deliberate support, stable financial investment, predictable legal frameworks, and international cooperation.
By signing this Innovation Accord, we commit to advocating for, defending, and advancing the essential pillars that enable academic discoveries to transform the world.
Guiding Principles & Commitments
Championing Sustained Public R&D Investment
The reality: Basic research carries high upfront risks and long development horizons that private markets alone cannot sustain.
Our commitment: Signatories pledge to advocate continuously for robust, predictable, and long-term public funding for basic and applied research. We assert that public research budgets are not a sunk administrative expense, but a high-yield investment returning immense economic dividends, high-value jobs, and improved quality of life to taxpayers worldwide.
Defending Strong, Predictable Intellectual Property Frameworks
The reality: Licensing early-stage technologies requires private sector capital. Without clear and secure intellectual property rights, private partners cannot justify the high-risk investment needed to bring academic discoveries to market.
Our commitment: Signatories pledge to uphold and defend balanced IP laws and tech transfer mechanisms — modeled after proven frameworks like the U.S. Bayh-Dole Act — that grant universities the clarity to patent, protect, and license their discoveries safely.
Streamlining Technology Transfer for Rapid Global Impact
The reality: Friction in licensing and commercialization delays the arrival of life-improving technologies to the people who need them most.
Our commitment: Signatories commit to continuously modernizing technology transfer practices. We pledge to foster agile licensing workflows, support university spin-offs, and promote transparent cross-sector partnerships that accelerate the transition of lab research into real-world applications.
Cultivating Local Talent and Regional Economic Resilience
The reality: Innovation ecosystem growth begins at home, requiring a continuous pipeline of skilled talent and accessible support for regional entrepreneurs.
Our commitment: Signatories pledge to invest directly in campus-based entrepreneurship programs, student innovation labs, and local business incubators. We commit to cultivating the next generation of scientists, engineers, and tech transfer professionals while ensuring that university research serves as a primary engine for local workforce development and regional economic growth.
Signatory Endorsement
By affixing our signatures below, we affirm our shared commitment to the principles of the Innovation Accord. We stand together to protect the policies, secure the funding, and build the partnerships that turn academic curiosity into real-world progress.