OurCode: Experiences Transitioning University Research into a Developer Tools Startup

Commercializing a university research project by creating a company offers a direct path for software engineering researchers based in a university to put their research directly into the hands of practicing software engineers. In this paper, we offer insight and reflections on tech transfer through the context of our journey with OurCode, a developer tools startup aimed at rethinking how developers interact with software documentation. We detail our experience shifting from a project focused on basic research into a business mindset focused on meeting customer needs. Our lessons underscore the importance of balancing technical innovation with business needs, leveraging mentorship for strategic guidance, and fostering community-driven approaches to branding and user engagement. We report on the process of customer discovery and lessons learned about onboarding and software documentation practices and how engineering leaders make choices around the adoption of new developers tools. We conclude with reflections on the challenges and value of tech transfer in software engineering, including what researchers can learn from failed transitions to align their innovations with real-world needs and startup dynamics.