Short, simple, standard agreements can be quite easy to complete, sometimes taking as little as 20 minutes. Others seem to drag on interminably and are concluded only after years of work. Most agreements take approximately 4 to 6 months to negotiate. Oddly enough, the financial terms of the agreement are typically settled first. Most of the time in negotiation is settling other important issues such as field of use, liability, term, and assuring that in the event of sale, the licensee will be absolutely obligated to pay all amounts due.
Most companies recognize the unique licensing requirements of public university-owned technologies.
Dealing with these companies can be quite satisfying. However, some companies do not recognize these differences and attempt to apply the same license provisions and license negotiation strategies they use with other companies in their industry to universities. This can cause major problems when attempting to move negotiations forward. The financial terms of a license agreement can vary greatly. Financial terms are widely variant and are tailored to fit the specific nature of each technology and each license transaction.