Countries around the globe are facing very similar challenges when it comes to translating scientific findings into successful solutions. This was one of the conclusions of the workshop, organised by the European Commission on 3 October 2023 and attended by 120 participants from 32 countries as well as representatives from the OECD and from European stakeholder associations.
With such a rich, global pool of expertise at the table participants had ample opportunity to learn about new policy initiatives, projects and practices related to intellectual assets management and industry-academia collaboration from around the world.
The discussions showed that we experience quite similar problems, opportunities and incentives for knowledge valorisation. It seems that the importance of increasing entrepreneurial skills, of joining professional networks, of relying on business incubators and accelerators or developing healthy intellectual assets management strategies and guidelines is equally shared in Asia, Africa, Australia or Europe.
Let us summarize the main takeaways below.
Common opportunities and challenges
- Non-technological solutions and their results are important assets from which economic and societal value can be derived.
- Including knowledge valorisation activities in research and researchers’ assessment approaches and fostering their adoption accelerate the market uptake of results.
- Industry-academia collaborations benefit from a mutual understanding of needs and expectations which can be facilitated by intermediaries.
- Increased cross-Knowledge/Technology Transfer Offices (KTTOs) collaboration fosters more efficient intellectual assets management.
- IP valuation remains a challenge where research organisations would benefit from further guidance.
- The lack of skills, of funding and of other support instruments can hamper value creation from research.
Measures and supporting tools
- Initiatives regarding intellectual assets management include mentoring and training for researchers on intellectual property, funding instruments, including support for proof-of-concept activities, etc.
- Initiatives regarding industry-academia collaboration include innovation vouchers, collaborative projects between research and business, tech transfer festivals, clusters and staff exchanges.
- Measures and supporting tools, legislation and funding schemes should be established with a long-term view as stability is key to success.
- Intermediaries such as valorisation managers, technology brokers, Knowledge/Technology Transfer Offices (KTTOs) play a key role as e.g. facilitators.
- The promotion of knowledge and promising research results and contact brokerage opportunities such as virtual innovation platforms and events are important for knowledge valorisation.
- Open innovation, co-creation and valorisation of R&I results are essential to address societal challenges and can be supported through policy briefs, solution cards and specific funding programmes for multidisciplinary research.
Skills
- It is important to boost the necessary skills for knowledge valorisation at various levels, to build capacity in KTTOs, and to build expertise in deep tech transfer.
- The entrepreneurial skills of students and researchers should be strengthened to foster the creation of academic spin-offs.
- Intersectoral mobility and knowledge exchange programmes between industry and academia such as Industrial PhD programmes contribute to capacity building, to enhance mutual understanding and ultimately, to economic growth.
- Industry should be involved at an early stage in education and training programmes to give perspectives on career opportunities beyond academia.
Background
The European Commission launched a Multilateral Dialogue on the principles and values underpinning international research and innovation collaboration in July 2022. This Dialogue brings together EU Member States, over 30 other countries and European stakeholders and international organisations. The aim is to have an open discussion for developing a common understanding of principles and values in international cooperation. These include academic freedom, ethics and research integrity, gender equality and inclusiveness, open science and research excellence among others.
The workshop on knowledge valorisation was the sixth of this series. More information about the Multilateral dialogue.
More information
The role of Incubators and Accelerators in knowledge valorisation