Example of a MURA Letter

This is an example of an approved MURA letter. Applicants should replace the italicized text with the appropriate text for their particular business. The regular text should be used verbatim.

Send a draft MURA letter Office of Technology Management for review and circulation for approval.


Date: _________

Dr. __________
President
Mississippi State University
P.O. Box 6018
Mississippi State, MS 39762

RE: MURA Application

Dear Dr._______:

  1. Application is hereby made for permission to establish and maintain a material financial interest in a private entity which has, or will, provide or receive equipment, material, supplies or services in connection with the university. The financial interest and the activities that I or the private entity will engage in are in connection with the university in order to facilitate the transfer of technology developed by me from the university to commercial or industrial enterprises for economic development.

    (a) The private entity and my interest in it are described as follows:
    NEWCO Technologies, LLC is a new entity with no prior business activity. It was established in ______________(date), in Starkville, MS. NEWCO Technologies will enter into a contractual arrangement with the university, in accordance with the established intellectual property policy, to license intellectual property created as a result of my research efforts at Mississippi State University.

    The co-owners of the NEWCO include me and ______________with each party having _____ interest in the business. I will participate in the initial development of the business and product line by my financial investment and by applying my technical capability. The provisions benefiting my involvement will be in proportion to my financial involvement and the success of the business (sales of the product). 

    (b) The nature of the undertaking or enterprise is described as follows:
    NEWCO Technologies, Inc. will develop a ________________based on the technology I developed in my prior research. I will provide the technical design and algorithms for deriving _______________________. The technology as it stands at this time is not economized and has not been completely tested. NEWCO Technology will develop a more commercially friendly version and will deploy it in the field under a pilot basis. If successful, NEWCO Technology will develop a production strategy to bring the product to the market.

    (c) Benefits to the economy of the state are described as follows:
    ________________________________________________. If a xx% market penetration can be achieved in the U.S., it is predicted that the manufacturing, marketing, and sales of this product will require 20 highly skilled personnel, which is a positive contribution to the local economy.

    (d) My activities with the private entity are described as follows:
    I will initially participate in defining the product and will play an advisory role in the technical aspects of product development and the testing of the initial products. I will not be involved in the day-to-day management of the private entity. This activity will not interfere in any way to my normal teaching, research, and other service duties at the university because most of involvement will occur during off hours and weekends. The number of hours which will be dedicated to this activity on a monthly basis will be less than ten.

    (e) To the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of any state or federal statutes, rules, policies, or regulations which would be contravened by the interest or activities sought in this application.

  2. I hereby certify that to my knowledge my interest in, or benefit from, the private entity, or the activities it or I will be engaged in, will not adversely affect any substantial state interest.

Please approve the application and forward it with your findings to the Mississippi University Research Authority, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211.

Sincerely,

______________
____________, Associate Professor

APPROVED:

____________________________
Dr. ____________
President
Mississippi State University