Frequently Asked Questions
For Customers and Potential Customers
For Scientists
General
Using the Site
For Customers and Potential Customers
Q – How do I list my
Problem Statement on the website?
Please Contact Us. Please specify "Problem Statement" in your message.
We will make sure that
Neil B. Godick
or another appropriate person responds to your request.
Problem Statements are
posted on PHLburg’s web site as part of a comprehensive effort under a contractual
agreement to solve a Customer’s technology request. Listing Problem Statements
on our website is one small part of a significant effort to identify technology
that solves a problem. PHLburg is proactive in finding solutions to our
Customer’s Problem Statement. Being proactive separates us from our competitors.
Q – I am a potential
Customer, how do I learn more?
Please Contact Us.
We will make sure that
Neil B. Godick
or another appropriate person responds to your request.
Q - How do I protect
my interests in particular science or technology from my competitors?
PHLburg signs a
non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with all of its Customers. The terms of the NDA
determines what information it will disclose about its customers and the
technology they seek. As a matter of policy PHLburg:
-
Has a NDA with all of its employees
-
Unless authorized by the Customer PHLburg will
not disclose its Customers’ name. Only employees with the need to know,
know our Customers’ name.
-
Saniti
zes our Customers’ Problem
Statements to prevent their apparent linkage to the Customer
-
PHLburg will not represent a competitor of
a Customer in the same area as the current Customer’s Problem Statement
Q - What assistance
can I expect from PHLburg in refining my Problem Statement in terms
understandable to Russian scientists?
PHLburg works closely
with its Customers to be certain all those on its team understand the Problem
Statement. This process continues throughout our work. Initially Dr.
Leonid Voroniouk
, our VP-Science based in the U.S., will communicate
with you and ask clarification questions to facilitate the understanding. As
others join our team (Project Managers, Experts, Consultants, and the Russian
scientists offering solutions) there will be additional clarification
questions.
For Scientists
Q – How do I submit my
technology for consideration?
To submit
information about your technology for consideration, p
lease Contact Us.
Once information about your
technology is received it will be reviewed by the Project Manager responsible
for the Project. Allow at least one month for the Project Manager to review the
information you submit. For your information to be correctly evaluated and to
improve your chances for commercializing your technology, please, submit all of
the information required by the
Fact
Sheet format.
Please remember – do
not submit proprietary or confidential
information.
Q – Will my technology
be stolen?
No! PHLburg has been
in business in Russia since 1991. We have an impeccable record and reputation. If you want we
will provide references of scientists in Russia who will tell you about their
positive experiences with us. When our evaluation of the information you submit
to us reaches the appropriate level we will sign a Confidentiality Agreement
with you. Further, in the technology commercialization process we will sign a
commercialization contract with you.
Please remember – do not provide proprietary or confidential
information until there is the signed Confidentiality Agreement.
Q – Will you sign a Confidentiality Agreement?
Yes. PHLburg will sign
a Confidentially Agreement with you at any time you suggest. Further, PHLburg
will insist you sign the Confidentiality Agreement before requesting
proprietary or confidential information.
Please remember – do not provide proprietary or confidential
information until there is the signed Confidentiality Agreement.
Q – How do I know the
Problem Statements are legitimate?
In a technical sense
we can not prove the Problem
Statements are legitimate.
These are true
legitimate Problem Statements!
The facts are: The
Problem Statements we list are prepared by one of our Customers. Our Customers
are always a U.S. or Western European multi-national company. With every
Customer we sign a Confidentially Agreement. In most of the contracts we have
with our Customers we are required not to disclose their name. Moreover we are
prohibited by the Confidentiality Agreement not to disclose what technology
they are looking for. Further, PHLburg has been in business in Russia since
1991. We have an impeccable record and reputation. If you request we will provide references
of scientists in Russia who will tell you about their positive experiences with
us.
Q – If I do not have a
patent how will my technology be protected?
Please remember – do not provide proprietary or confidential
information until there is a signed Confidentiality Agreement.
PHLburg will sign a Confidentially
Agreement with you at any time you suggest. Further, PHLburg will insist you
sign a Confidentiality Agreement before requesting proprietary or confidential
information.
If you do not have a
patent for your technology and if our Customer, based upon the information
provided, expresses serious interest in your technology we will help you obtain
a patent for your technology.
If you have your own
ideas how to protect your technology, just let us know about them and we will work
to reach a mutual agreement.
Q – Where do I submit
my sample?
Samples are requested
and evaluated only after there is interest in your technology. We establish
interest in your technology by evaluating the information that you submitted.
By this time in the process you will have established a communications channel
with our Project Manager. The sample will be submitted to the Project Manager.
Please remember – do not provide proprietary or confidential
information until there is a signed Confidentiality Agreement.
Q – Deadlines – who
sets them and are they important?
Most of the deadlines we
face in searching for technology and eventually commercializing technology are
set by our Customer and recorded in our contract with the Customer. Other
deadlines are set by the laws of nature/physics. As for the Customer deadlines:
it is imperative that we meet these deadlines. Failure to meet the Customer’s
deadlines can result in penalties for PHLburg. Sometimes when a deadline is
missed the Customer takes this as a lack of interest or seriousness on the part
of the scientist and seeks other solutions to its Problem Statement. When this happens the commercialization
opportunity is lost or made much more difficult.
Q – How much do I get
paid for submitting my technology?
You do not receive any
compensation for submitting information about your technology. When, and only
when, you enter into a contract to commercialize your technology will you be
paid. In technology commercialization transactions the owners and authors
of technology are well paid. They receive thousands of dollars in compensation.
Commercializing
technology is challenging. The technology must solve a Customer’s Problem
Statement, and it must be cost effective. The technology must be able to be
manufactured in large quantities. There
must be intellectual property (IP or a patent), with a long life, and that can
be enforced in Western Countries. You must be willing to sell or license on an
exclusive basis this IP to the Customer.
Q – How much does it
cost to commercialize my technology?
Commercializing
technology is expensive. The cost will be shared by the owner/author, our
Customer acquiring the technology, and PHLburg. In the end all of the parties
will earn a profit and the cost will be well worth it.
Initially the
owner/author has to invest in preparing the needed information and preparing
answers to the Customer’s questions. Samples are needed – often this too is at
the owner/author’s expense. Testing is usually required – these too may be at
the owner-author’s expense. If the cost of samples and testing is significant, the Customer pays for them.
When a contract is
signed and the owner/author receives money from the Customer a fee is paid to PHLburg.
PHLburg’s fee, usually 50% of the compensation received from the Customer. The
fee is paid to PHLburg when the author/owner is paid.
Q – May I submit more
than one technology for consideration?
You may submit
information describing as many qualified technologies as you are the owner or
author of. There is no limit. We do require that the information submitted by you
is complete, relevant to the Problem Statement, and accurate. If the
information submitted is not complete there is the possibility the conclusions
we reach will be delayed and even worse incorrect.
Q – When will we sign
a contract?
A contract with the
Customer, PHLburg, and the technology’s owners and authors will be signed when
the time is right. This happens late
in the technology commercialization process – after the information and answers
to the technical questions are understood, after the testing is completed, and
after the financial terms are agreed to.
During the
commercialization process, often, there are many bumps in the road. Those Customers and owners/authors who are
willing to patiently and efficiently work through these bumps will achieve technical and financial success. During the
process all of the issues to be included in the contract will be fully
discussed and explained. It is PHLburg’s responsibility to be certain all of
the parties to the transaction are satisfied with the contract’s terms.
Q – When will I
receive cash?
The contract with the
Customer will specify when you receive cash.
At signing the
contract:
– Frequently the
owners/authors receive cash at the time the contract is signed. The cash
received may be all or a portion of the commercialization proceeds. If the
commercialization transaction is a sale all
or most of the commercialization proceeds will be received at signing. If the
commercialization transaction is a licensing
arrangement a small portion of the commercialization proceeds will be
received when signing the contract.
After signing the
contract:
– Most often the
owners/authors receive cash over the economic life of the technology. The
common way to reflect the commercial value of technology over its economic life
is by a licensing agreement. Over the term of the licensing agreement royalties
are received. Whether royalties are received in advance, annually,
semi-annually, or quarterly is the subject of negotiations. Often industry
practices or the Customer’s internal policy determines how often royalties are
paid.
Q – How do I know I am
getting a fair price?
Determining the fair price for commercialized
technology is an art not a science.
That being said there are several methods to be used to be certain the
price is fair. PHLburg will help you to get the fair price.
Experience
- If you or the Customer has
commercialized similar technology before that precedent is an important
determinant.
Industry standards
– Certain industries have established royalty standards. For example the pharmaceutical
industry pays a 5% royalty for medicines it licenses. In the building materials
industry the royalty rate is 2%. Rates vary.
Economic modeling –
The owners/authors, the Customer, and PHLburg
can/will each prepare an estimate of the sales the technology will produce and
the profits from these sales. Accurately estimating this information is the
basis for economic modeling and price determination.
Q – How do I know I
will ever be paid?
You will sign a
contract with the Customer specifying your compensation and their rights to
commercialize the technology. This contract will specify payment amounts and payment terms. Then
you will transfer your technology. Baring force
majure you will be paid. The contract will include strong payment enforcement
provisions.
PHLburg, who receives
its commercialization compensation from the authors/owners will be working with
the authors/owners to be certain the Customer honors the contract.
Q – How will PHLburg
help me?
PHLburg’s value in the
commercialization is to assure the owners/authors and the Customer that a
transaction takes place. PHLburg only earns fees when a transaction takes
place.
To assure that a
transaction takes place PHLburg performs an vast array of tasks from obtaining
the Problem Statement (opportunity), to identifying the technology to be
commercialized, to helping you prepare the initial technology description,
subsequent technology descriptions, answering Customer questions, facilitating
samples being delivered, facilitating testing, helping in negotiations including
setting the price and payment terms, and more. PHLburg will do whatever it
takes (within the law and fair business practices) to complete a technology transaction.
Q – How does PHLburg
help me in the West?
PHLburg has contracts
with leading multinational companies based in the West. These companies have
told PHLburg under a confidentiality agreement their technology needs.
If you have been
contacted by a PHLburg Project Manager about your technology there is a high probability
that your technology might be of interest to a Customer.
If you contact us a
PHLburg Project Manager will evaluate your technology and determine if it
satisfies a current Customer request or if it has commercial potential in the
West.
If your technology
satisfies a current Customer request or if it has commercial potential in the
West PHLburg will help you commercialize it.
Q – Who in PHLburg
evaluates technological and/or scientific part of documents I submit to your
company?
There are 4 major
steps for evaluating the information you submit.
Our Project Manager is
the first person who evaluates your documents. Our company’s staff has Ph.D.s
in different fields of sciences.
Our Experts Council evaluates
your technology. The Council usually includes specialist(s) in the specific
area of the technology.
Our scientific team in
the U.S. headed by our V.P. Science evaluates your technology.
The Customer performs final
evaluation.
Q – Who determines if
my technology will be commercialized?
In the end a Western
company and you determine if your technology will be commercialized. The
Western company will only be interested in commercializing your technology if
it determines it is commercially valuable. Then you must decide if the price
being offered for the technology is fair.
Q – What are the steps
to commercializing my technology?
The process for
commercializing technology is usually the same regardless of the technology,
the technology owner, and the Western company. The process includes:
-
Obtaining
a complete and accurate technology description. This description should not
include any confidential or proprietary information.
-
Obtaining
an export control opinion for each transfer of information and samples.
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An
evaluation of the description by the Western company followed by company questions
and scientist responses.
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A sample
for testing and an evaluation by the Western company, followed by discussions
between the company and scientists/authors/owners.
-
A
Non-Disclosure and Non-Circumvention Agreement with the scientists/authors/owners.
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Further
information including confidential and proprietary information, additional
samples, perhaps development of new samples.
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Due
diligence by the Western company and scientists/authors/owners.
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A signed
letter between the authors and owners of the technology designating the
distribution of commercialization proceeds.
-
A letter
from the Russian patent office stating the owner(s) and author(s) of the
technology.
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Negotiations
-
Commercialization
contract
Q – How long does it
take to commercialize technology?
From the time PHLburg
obtains a complete and accurate technology description approximately 6 months
are needed to reach a commercialization contract. This 6 month time can be
shortened by promptness in questions-answers, supplying samples, if no
development is necessary, and if no export control licenses are needed.
Q – After I submit my
information, how long will it take to receive an answer?
You will receive
some response to your technology description from PHLburg quickly –
days or a week at
most. A full review and evaluation by a Project Manager could take a
month. PHLburg will work with you to have the technology description in
a format
that meets Western standards and is complete. After this process is
completed the
technology description will be forwarded to our Customer. Depending on
the
western Company’s work load a response usually takes one week to one
month. In
some instances responses may take 6 to 8 weeks. Sample testing by
Western
companies take 2 to 4 weeks. In some instances testing may take 6 to 8
weeks.
Once a Western company really becomes interested in technology
responses are
shortened to the same day or to a few days.
Q – I am considering
submitting my technology – how do I learn more?
Write or call us. (See
Contact Us) One of our Project
Managers will immediately respond. Our Project Managers are experienced in
helping scientists work with Western companies.
General
Q – What are the Russian
Federation’s rules about transferring technology?
We are not attorneys
and can not provide a legal opinion on this question.
We have adopted a very
pragmatic approach to assuring compliance with the Russian Federation’s laws
about transferring technology.
We obtain a written
opinion from a Russian Federation licensed agency at the beginning of every
project.
The written opinion determines
our approach to the project and to our work.
When technology
descriptions, other significant information, samples, and developed technology
is ready to be transferred we, if necessary, obtain additional written opinions
from a Russian Federation licensed agency
We suggest you check
the Russian Federation’s web site regarding the Law on the transfer of
technology.
Q – How is the money
shared between the scientists and the Institute where they work?
As part of the due
diligence we provide in the commercialization process PHLburg obtains for its
Customers a letter from the owners of the technology stating how
commercialization proceeds are to be shared. We verify the letter. We review
the letter to determine that the distribution sharing is reasonable in the
circumstances.
Q – How does PHLburg
make money?
PHLburg earns fees at
the time of a commercialization transaction. Part of the compensation paid by
the Western company to the Russian technology owners is shared with PHLburg.
Q – Who are your
Customers and which industries do they represent?
Our Customers are
global companies in many different industries located in the U.S. and Europe.
Our Customers have a strong belief that technology is important to their future
success.
We have Customers in
the following industries:
|
Aerospace and
defense
|
Medical products and
equipment
|
|
Building materials
|
Metals
|
|
Chemicals
|
Motor vehicles and
parts
|
|
Computer peripherals
|
Network and other
communications equipment
|
|
Computers and office
equipment
|
Packaging containers
|
|
Electronics and
electrical equipment
|
Pharmaceuticals
|
|
Forest and paper
products
|
Scientific,
photographic, and control equipment
|
|
Household and
personal products
|
Semi conductors and
electrical components
|
|
Industrial and farm
equipment
|
Transportation
equipment
|
Most of our
Non-Disclosure Agreements prohibit us from disclosing their name. Our Customer
list includes:
General Motors
John Deere
Lockheed Martin
Motorola
Pfizer
Procter & Gamble
Unilever
Using the Site
Q – How do I use the site?
If you have questions on how to use this website, please
Contact Us.
Please explain briefly the nature of your problem and we will get back to you.
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If you are experiencing any technical problems, please
Contact Us.
Please explain briefly the nature of your problem and we will get back to you.
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