For Journalists & Content Creators
Media Kit: Stand Up for Innovation
Built for journalists, editors, podcasters, science communicators, and content creators covering how university tech transfer turns raw academic research into real-world products, cures, and economic growth.
Section 1
Fast Facts & Executive Summary
The Goal of “Stand Up for Innovation”
A campaign spearheaded by AUTM to educate the public, support federal research funding, protect intellectual property rights, and showcase how campus innovations drive local and global prosperity.
What is Tech Transfer?
The process of licensing innovations created in university and non-profit research labs to private companies or spinoff startups, so they can be developed into commercial products.
The Legal Foundation
The Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 allows universities to retain ownership of inventions funded by federal R&D grants — a single policy that transformed dormant lab discoveries into a multi-trillion-dollar innovation economy.
Key Data at a Glance
6.5M+
Jobs created since 1990 thanks to university innovations
1,095
New spinoff startups formed in 2025 alone
700+
New products created in 2025 — spanning health, agriculture, clean energy, and consumer electronics
Don’t forget to check out our infographic for even more data.
Section 2
Core Story Angles You Can Cover
Four ready-to-report angles to help your newsroom find human, economic, and local hooks.
Angle 1
“From the Lab Bench to the Living Room”
Human Interest
The Hook: Focus on a specific patient, consumer, or community whose life was saved or improved by university-invented technology.
Resources: Story Gallery, AUTM’s Better World Project, or follow AUTM on social media for frequently shared success stories.
Angle 2
“The Local Economic Engine”
Business & Policy
The Hook: Investigate the economic footprint of local universities, research institutions, and hospitals.
Resources: our state-by-state statistics, the AUTM STATT Database, or the AUTM Licensing Activity Survey.
Angle 3
“Crisis Response & Societal Resilience”
Science & Tech
The Hook: Examine how rapid university research and patent protection allow society to react swiftly to global emergencies — vaccine development, grid stability, food security.
Search innovations by category in the Better World Project to see how research is shaping reactions to pandemics, climate change, and more.
Section 3
How the Media Can Support & Promote Innovation
Journalists and creators play a vital role in keeping the public and policymakers informed. Here’s how media outlets can partner with the campaign.
Feature the “Behind the Invention” Origin
When reporting on a new drug, device, or tech breakthrough, include the university lab and tech transfer process in the background story.
Utilize Expert Sources
Tap into AUTM’s network of vetted tech transfer directors, faculty inventors, and patent attorneys for expert commentary on policy, IP, and commercialization stories.
Share Impact Data
Include local innovation statistics — startups created, federal R&D dollars returned — in business and economic coverage.
Working on a story?
Reach out for expert sources, additional data, or high-resolution assets for your coverage.