Researchers • Harvard ExpressPath Licenses
Medical Device ExpressPath
Express Pathway for Medical Device Licensing
The Medical Device ExpressPath License is designed for Harvard‑affiliated startups developing devices used in healthcare—excluding traditional therapeutics and biologics.
This license, made available in consultation with the Harvard PI, provides a streamlined, investor‑aware framework that supports regulated medical technologies while keeping deal terms clear, predictable, and suitable for early‑stage companies. By using pre‑set, favorable terms, founders can move more quickly from invention to license and focus on clinical validation, regulatory milestones, and commercialization.
The right fit when:
The primary technology is a device, diagnostic, instrument, tool, or digital health product, not a small‑molecule or biologic therapeutic.
The regulatory pathway is typical for medical devices or diagnostics.
The IP portfolio is owned by Harvard, without multi‑institution ownership.
The company is organized in the United States as a C corporation or limited liability company. If a limited liability company, the license will include a fixed, non-dilutable 1% liquidation fee rather than equity.
The team and investors prefer a standardized royalty-plus-equity structure that reflects common medical device startup practice.
Technologies with unusual risk profiles, highly complex regulatory strategies, or multi‑institution IP may be better suited to a traditional negotiated license.
Terms at a Glance
- 4% equity or 1% liquidation fee
- antidilution protection through $2.5M raised, on-going investment right
- 2% royalty with no anti-stacking or 3% royalty with anti-stacking
- 12% sublicense revenue fee
- no maintenance fee until year 4
Key Financial Terms
| Term | Details |
| Equity | Choice of:
|
| Anti-dilution protection | If equity is selected above, Harvard’s equity stake is protected against dilution through the first $2.5M in outside funding raised. The 1% liquidation fee is calculated on the entire enterprise value at the time of the transaction, or in the case of an IPO, the licensee’s pre-money valuation. |
| Investment participation right | Harvard has the right — but not the obligation — to invest in a future financing round, on the same terms and conditions as other investors in that round on a pro-rata basis, as indicated below. |
| Royalty | Choice of:
|
| IP costs | Back Patent Costs deferred for 1-year, accelerated upon reaching anti-dilution threshold of $2.5M. Future patent costs as incurred. |
| Improvements | Rights to add available Improvements for 6-months with a fee of $20K per added patent |
| Sub-licensing rights | Included through multiple tiers |
| Sublicense revenue fee | 12%, without allocation |
| Maintenance fee |
Creditable against Royalty amounts paid |
| Milestone payments | $400K per approval |
| Development Milestones | Agreed upon firm time-based development milestones for the advancement and commercialization of licensed technology. |
| Financing Milestones | $750K in equity or convertible debt securities within 6 months of license execution. Harvard retains the option to terminate the license or make it non-exclusive if the financing milestone is not achieved. |
Investment Participation Rights
The license agreement provides a pathway to expand your pool of investors. Through Harvard’s investment participation rights, Harvard or its assignee can invest up to 5% of initial financing rounds through $2.5M in cumulative funding. Beyond that funding threshold, in subsequent financing rounds the investment participation rights are limited to Harvard, or its assignee, maintaining the equity it holds through additional investment.
Interested in the Medical Device ExpressPath License?
If you represent an established company interested in commercializing Harvard IP, view our available technologies here and contact OTD.