As we pivot from critique to possibility, real-world precedent supports my vision: universities can be engines of commerce, not just knowledge. When structured well, applied ventures can yield real profit, student learning, and national development. Stanford University’s Office of Technology Licensing (OTL), founded in 1970, manages a vast portfolio of inventions, with over 1,000 technologies evaluated in a single year, generating millions of dollars in licensing revenue and attracting major industry-sponsored research. Its alumni have gone on to found companies like Google, Cisco, HP, and Netflix, proving that academic ecosystems can become commercial powerhouses.
