Willkie advised Xerox Holdings Corporation on the donation of its Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) to SRI International, a nonprofit research institute behind some of the world’s most impactful deep tech advancements.

The move, announced April 24, 2023, enables Xerox to focus entirely on delivering new innovations around its own print, digital and IT service offerings, while allowing the PARC team to join a leading research institution to usher in its next evolution of growth.

Xerox PARC was founded in 1970 and established as an independent company in 2002. The organization has pioneered numerous technological advancements, including Ethernet, laser printing, the graphical user interface and ubiquitous computing.

As part of the donation, Xerox will enter into a preferred research agreement, called the Technology Exploration and Innovation Program, in which SRI will provide contracted research and development services to Xerox and its clients. Through the collaborative program, Xerox and SRI will identify topic areas relevant to Xerox’s core print, digital and IT Services business, with the final goal of creating proofs-of-concept and roadmaps to implementation. Xerox will also retain a branded Innovation Hub at PARC to host meetings, demonstrations and annual conferences for its clients.

The Willkie team was led by partners Russell Leaf and Thomas Sharkey and included associates Nidhi Modani and David Ostermann.