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Innovator Shares Patent Portfolio Transfer to Public Research Consortium

SAN FRANCISCO, November 26, 2025 – TechForward Innovations Inc., a developer of advanced battery storage technologies, announced today the transfer of its entire patent portfolio—spanning 50 granted and pending patents in solid-state electrolyte materials—to the Public Energy Research Consortium (PERC), a nonprofit collaborative of 23 universities and federal laboratories focused on accelerating clean energy commercialization.

The strategic transfer, valued at approximately $45 million, marks a significant departure from traditional proprietary licensing models. Rather than retaining exclusive commercialization rights, TechForward will grant PERC members royalty-free access to develop, modify, and commercialize technologies derived from the portfolio, while retaining attribution rights and a limited license-back for its own product development.

Democratizing Clean Energy Innovation Through Open Patent Strategies

The donation reflects emerging evidence that collaborative IP models drive superior innovation outcomes. A 2023 study in Technological Forecasting and Social Change analyzing the Open Invention Network found that companies participating in open patent pools achieved 34% more forward citations and 28% higher collaborative research activity than non-participants . The research demonstrated that knowledge spillover effects were significantly amplified when patents were accessible to academic and public research institutions rather than held by single entities.

“Traditional patent monetization creates artificial bottlenecks in critical sectors like energy storage,” said Dr. Claire Asher, TechForward’s Chief Technology Officer. “Our analysis of two decades of patent transfer data shows that when public research organizations gain portfolio access, innovation cycles compress by an average of 18 months, and technology adoption rates increase by 40% across the sector.”

Portfolio Targets Critical Battery Technology Gaps

The transferred portfolio includes 38 U.S. patents and 12 international filings covering high-ionic-conductivity polymer-ceramic composites, scalable manufacturing processes for solid-state batteries, and thermal management systems for grid-scale storage. These technologies address key barriers to widespread adoption of renewable energy storage, with the global battery market projected to reach $180 billion by 2030, according to industry analysts.

PERC will establish a shared innovation platform allowing member institutions—including Stanford University, Argonne National Laboratory, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—to build upon TechForward’s foundational work without negotiating individual licenses. The consortium model eliminates an estimated $2.3 million in transaction costs annually while creating a centralized repository for derivative innovations.

Driving Triple Bottom Line Returns

The transfer aligns with TechForward’s revised corporate strategy emphasizing shared value creation over direct patent licensing revenue. The company will shift to a service-based model, providing specialized consulting and customization services for enterprises implementing its now-open technologies.

“University technology transfer offices have demonstrated exceptional capability in bringing high-impact research to market when given the right IP foundation,” said Mark Rennick, CEO of Rebalance Energy Advisors and a former director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Technology Commercialization Office. “This approach mirrors successful models we’ve seen in biotechnology and advanced materials, where early-stage IP openness seeds entire industry ecosystems.”

Initial consortium members have committed $12 million in pooled research funding to optimize the transferred technologies for manufacturing scalability. The first commercial licenses are expected to be executed within 18 months, targeting automotive OEMs and utility-scale storage developers.

Shifting Competitive Dynamics in Clean Tech

The move challenges conventional wisdom about IP as a primary competitive moat in the clean energy sector. Research from the National Academy of Inventors indicates that universities ranked among the top 100 patent-producing institutions generated over 14,000 issued patents in 2024 alone, with technology transfer revenues exceeding $3.8 billion. However, restrictive licensing practices often limit the societal impact of these innovations.

By contrast, TechForward’s open-transfer model is projected to accelerate deployment of safer, more efficient battery technologies by eliminating licensing friction. The company will monetize through joint development agreements and specialized engineering services, projecting $15 million in revenue by 2027 while maintaining 60% lower legal overhead.

About TechForward Innovations Inc.

TechForward Innovations, founded in 2018, develops next-generation energy storage materials from its headquarters in San Francisco and research facilities in San Diego. The company has raised $62 million in venture funding and employs 47 scientists and engineers. Its technologies have been validated by three Tier-1 automotive suppliers and integrated into pilot grid storage projects across California and Texas. For more information, visit