Technology transfer at the University of Chicago started through ARCH Development Corporation which was founded in 1986 as a wholly-owned not-for-profit affiliate of the University charged with handling all of the University's intellectual property and technology commercialization matters. This agreement also extended to Argonne National Laboratory, which the University of Chicago runs for the U.S. Department of Energy. ARCH Development's mission included an explicit dedication to new venture formation as a primary mechanism of technology commercialization, as well as to building a strong technology licensing program.
In 1994, some of the management of ARCH Development Corporation left to form ARCH Venture Partners. ARCH Venture Partners has become a venture fund of national prominence. While the University of Chicago has cordial relations with ARCH Venture Partners, there is no official affiliation.
Also around this time, Argonne National Laboratory established its own Argonne Technology Transfer Office, which now handles all Argonne inventions.
In July of 2001, some of the management of ARCH Development Corporation left to form ARCH Development Partners. Again, while the University of Chicago has cordial relations with ARCH Development Partners, there is no official affiliation.
UCTech was established in July 2001 to handle the business of ARCH Development Corporation and all ongoing intellectual property and technology commercialization matters. The name was changed from UCTech to UChicagoTech in November, 2006. Rather than being an affiliate, UChicagoTech is an office operating from within the University and reports directly to the Vice President for Research and for National Laboratories.