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This is an interesting move by Microsoft and I think it makes a lot of sense:

"Microsoft Corp. has announced Microsoft Intellectual Property (IP) Ventures, a new program aimed at entrepreneurs and small businesses that will speed the movement of innovative technology into the global market. Microsoft IP Ventures opens up hundreds of internally developed technologies to entrepreneurs and new businesses by licensing and spinning out Microsoft's innovations to facilitate new product and business development."
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Companies like Cisco which develop a lot of technology internally that don't get much attention because of other higher priority projects could benefit from a similar approach.  Especially for technologies that aren't related to Cisco's core business, there isn't an outlet for them to become commercialized.  For example, I developed a couple of patented directory services technologies in 2000 and 2001 that haven't seen the light of day because Cisco doesn't produce LDAP, Active Directory, etc.  products.  When describing these technologies at conferences, I always have people request to use/buy them.  My answer has been: Sorry, Cisco patented them and is not doing anything with them now.  An IP Ventures program could help with this problem.