Old-fashioned tech transfer. RightNow Technologies of Bozeman, shows that licensing isn’t the only way for industry to tap into university knowledge

May 22, 2008

RightNow Technologies http://www.rightnow.com/ of Bozeman, Mont., doesn’t license any technology from nearby Montana State University http://www.montana.edu/ . The 11-year-old, rapidly growing firm developed its products—software programs to manage customer service and sales—in-house, using code written by its own software engineers. But the company depends on MSU nonetheless, as the go-to source for those programmers and other highly skilled workers. Over 20 percent of the company’s 700 employees hold MSU degrees, said Chief Operating Officer Susan Carstensen, who herself is an alumna.

Full Story: http://www.minneapolisfed.org/pubs/fedgaz/08-05/tech.cfm