Air Products has created external technical collaboration since its inception. Our founder, Leonard Pool, utilized partnerships with the U.S. federal government to develop unique industrial gas generating systems in the early 1940s. We have sustained and nurtured this tradition of collaboration with other companies, universities, governments and institutes around the world.

In late 1995, the company established the Corporate Technology Partnerships Department, whose mission is to enhance the company's core technologies through partnerships and strategic alliances with universities, government labs, and unique research and development companies, including start-ups. We wanted to accelerate the development of new innovations by identifying and facilitating early access to the world's best technologies and expertise. We seek to strengthen our technological options and create new ones through early-stage participation with potential customers and strong linkages to innovative organizations. We aim to expand our competitive technologies and to leverage our internal R&D through long-term collaboration, for both speed and cost-effectiveness. Our external partners are born of a strategic 'win-win' outcome for both groups—but they are nurtured to deliver results through strong personal relationships on both sides.

Today our mission has grown to include the identification of partners who would gain value from access to Air Products' technology through purchase or licensing of our intellectual assets. A glimpse at our offerings is presented on our Available to License page.

External collaboration continues to be a key component of our corporate technology strategy. If you are a potential technology partner and would like to better understand our technology needs, please explore the Technology Needs and Partnering with the Government pages of the site.