The Warner Babcock Institute solves technical challenges associated with transforming processes, products, and technologies. Led by Dr. John Warner, the father of Green Chemistry, WBI’s unique solutions improve functionality, increase efficiency and profitability by utilizing novel approaches that capitalize on the 12 principles of Green Chemistry. WBI establishes long-term, exclusive relationships with leaders in various industry sectors to develop intellectual property for collaborative development with our partners.
Our goal is to identify novel molecular interactions that ultimately lead to the creation of intellectual property opportunities for our client. WBI designs chemical systems with specific intermolecular interactions. Through active collaboration, we provide new ideas at the molecular level and deliver de-risked prototypes ready for implementation within the partner’s appropriate manufacturable boundaries. The WBI contract discovery model leverages the clients’ deep understanding of their organization and technology to inform our approaches; we do not attempt to recreate the existing internal capabilities.
With our partners, we redefine questions and generate unprecedented answers. We bring innovation to every stage of the transformation to sustainability both economically and environmentally. Our work is not incremental or linear. We create adaptive systems that integrate the needs of society and the goals of our clients, generating products and processes that are functionally superior, cost effective, and environmentally benign.
WBI’s Standard 3-Phase Invention Program
Phase 1 – Parameterization: WBI receives a minimum amount of information from the client and some standard materials and test procedures to 1) map structure – function relationships, 2) deliver novel, intuitive solution models, and 3) evaluate feasibility of some early-stage targets.
Timeline:
4 months (variable as a function of resource allocation and project scope)
Deliverables:
– structure – function landscape
– new solution models and feasibility demonstration
– written report providing the basis of a provisional patent application
Decision:
– monthly project reviews
– go / no-go for Stage 2 at end of final month of Stage 1
Phase 2 – Integration: Having developed new solution models and preliminary leads, WBI and the client jointly review the results of Stage 1 to define the Stage 2 program plan for a full exploration of performance characteristics and solid lead generation to enable a full patent filing.
Timeline:
4 months (variable as a function of resource allocation and project scope)
Deliverables:
– solid prototype leads meeting key lab performance criteria
– written report providing the basis for a full patent application
Decision:
– monthly project reviews
– go / no-go for Stage 3 at end of final month of Stage 2
Phase 3 – Optimization: Working in collaboration, WBI will engage in further product and process optimization to enable scale-up and further strengthen the IP position of the new technology.
Timeline:
4 months (variable as a function of resource allocation and project scope)
Deliverables:
– de-risked prototypes advanced to pilot testing and other advanced field/plant testing
