It’s only been a few months since Vanderbilt University’s Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Protection department had its upward reporting schematic rerouted through the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

And with this change, the department’s leader, Assistant Vice Chancellor Alan Bentley, is moving — now more than ever — to iron out the final details of several funding agreements with local companies.

“We are very close — just not quite ready to announce,” Bentley said.

And although it’s not clear who the funders are, it is clear why they might be interested in throwing money VUMC’s way. One of the core reasons Bentley’s department exists is to bring to form ideas for invention wrought from the minds of Vanderbilt’s esteemed faculty and to see those ideas become tangible products that can be sold.

“Finding the right financial partner is key to an invention’s success,” Bentley said, adding that different inventions require different funding sources and that such a marriage must be solid. “We work very hard to make sure it is.”

Bentley wants to work with as many local business partners as possible. Most of the department’s current relationships are with international concerns. That’s not a bad thing, but not ideal for the variety of ideas originating from VU’s faculty.

Click here for the Technology Transfer department’s latest issue of its Tech Connect newsletter. The issue references the department’s 2013 aspirations, which include more funding arrangements like the ones referenced here.

“In FY 2013, we plan to tackle many additional projects of high impact — including the automation of our materials transfer agreements so little-to-no time is wasted in review,” Bentley said.