The University of Hawai'i saw its royalty income rise 29 percent last year to surpass the $1 million mark for the first time since the mid-1990s.

Revenues from licenses and options on UH patents and discoveries increased to $1.04 million during the fiscal year that ended June 20, from $809,000 during the year-earlier period, according to preliminary figures from the UH Office of Technology Transfer.

While the university's numbers lag those of larger Mainland research universities, school officials say the latest figures signal a five-year trend of increased commercialization of UH research.

"We're more focused on marketing and commercializing our research today, whereas in the past we were focusing more on patenting and protecting it," said Dick Cox, director of the technology office.

According to Cox, royalty revenue at UH has increased by double-digit percentage rates since 2001. The university's licensing revenues went from $270,000 in 2001 to $380,000 in 2002 and $503,000 in 2003 before rising to $809,000 last year.

Last year's $1.04 million figure is the highest since the mid-1990s, when the schools licensing revenue was well over $1 million, Cox said. The decade-old figure was largely the result of a single UH licensing agreement for an anti-cancer compound, Cox said.

"There's certainly a general heightening of awareness of the university as a place of innovation and invention, and there's an increasing desire to work with the business community," Cox said.

According to Cox, a total of 15 UH patents were licensed to private business last year, down from 18 in the 2004 fiscal year but up from 10 in 2003.

The types of patents licenses last year included: