NASA’s Technology Transfer Program

NASA’s Technology Transfer (T2) Program, grounded in the 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act, is a disciplined, end-to-end system for moving federally funded innovations into the hands of the public. With roughly 11,000 scientists and engineers across 10 field centers, NASA identifies about 1,600 new technologies each year and channels them toward practical, commercial use.

A Strategic, Market-First Approach

NASA runs technology transfer as a rigorous, multi-stage process. Each disclosure goes through expert review, deep inventor interviews, and candid assessments of industry applications. Patent filings are pursued only when commercialization is plausible; if no potential licensee emerges, NASA lets the patent go rather than stockpiling IP. The goal is simple: remove friction between breakthrough and marketplace.

Startup License Program: Friendly on Day One

For founders, NASA’s Startup License Program is unusually startup-friendly. Key features include:

• Waived up-front and minimum fees for the first three years

• A modest 4.2% running royalty on product sales

• Streamlined access to a curated catalog of licensable inventions

Over the past five years, more than 100 startups have licensed NASA patents through this pathway—among them Beyond Limits, TellusLabs, and Amorphology—turning space-grade ideas into competitive products on Earth.

From the Moon to Main Street: Notable Spinoffs

NASA’s track record shows up in everyday life:

• Nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys originally developed for lunar missions now power airless bicycle tires with shape-memory resilience.

• Spaceborne camera sensors underpin modern smartphone digital imaging.

• During COVID-19, NASA developed a ventilator in 37 days and granted no-cost licenses to 36 companies, accelerating global manufacturing when speed mattered most.

Mission Over Margin

Revenue is not the metric. Social and economic utility is. As Daniel Lockney, who leads NASA’s technology transfer efforts, puts it, the purpose is to extract as much value from the lab as possible so new products and services reach people. That philosophy shapes choices about what to patent, what to open source, and whom to partner with.

What’s Next: Broader Access, Bigger Tent

NASA plans to expand licensing and support for underrepresented founders and regions, deepen international collaboration, and further open-source software (which already accounts for roughly one-third of NASA’s disclosed inventions). The software push lowers barriers dramatically—anyone can evaluate, test, and build on NASA code from day one.

Why It Matters

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program is more than a pipeline of spinoffs; it’s a scalable innovation ecosystem that converts frontier research into broad-based prosperity. By aligning incentives around adoption—not rent-seeking—NASA shows how publicly funded R&D can power startups, upgrade industries, and improve daily life, all while advancing humanity’s push into space.