The process of creating and transitioning the storehouse of university research and development to commercial products is by its nature a true partnership of great university innovators, experienced entrepreneurs and adequate funding sources. In the United States, the process of university innovation to commercialization begins deep in university laboratories, where researchers engage in more than $40 billion of cutting edge research and development annually (National Science Foundation, 2006). However, the culture of the university often does not readily endorse quality research with rapid return on investment (ROI) through the traditional commercialization process. In 1982, the Federal government recognized the need to promote university spin-off companies and passed the Small Business Innovation Development Act. In effect, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs that were spawned from this legislation create a trifecta of resources from the private, academic, and government sectors to bring research to the marketplace. This article will enhance the reader's overall understanding of the commercialization process within a university to include a discussion of the advantages of participating in the SBIR/STTR programs, and to underscore the necessity of forming commercialization partnerships to maximize the potential for success of funded SBIRs/STTRs in Phase III. (Contains 3 figures.)