Promoting centres of excellence and innovation and technology transfer centres
About this good practice
The decision to support these Innovation and Technology Transfer Centres (ITTCs) has been taken due to a lack of competences, expertise and activities (including intellectual property issues) in knowledge and technology transfer.
- Call I (2017) under the measure's activity "Promoting Innovation and Technology Transfer Centres" was launched to strengthen the units of research and study institutions that coordinate research management, science-business cooperation, knowledge and technology transfer, and intellectual property.
Main aim - to support the retention of staff to carry out the functions of the unit, to support the implementation of consultancy activities, skills development, as well as the internal implementation and improvement of the institutions' regulatory framework.
- Call II (2020) under the measure's activity "Introducing Entrepreneurship in Science and Higher Education Institutions" for research and study institutions to introduce entrepreneurial activities and, at the same time, to develop knowledge and technology transfer activities.
Main aim - to support training/learning related to the formation and development of entrepreneurial skills; to promote actions to demonstrate the development and readiness of an R&D result; to organise events to showcase R&D services and their results; to support missions for the acquisition of knowledge in R&D management, entrepreneurship, and to take part in trans-national events showcasing the R&D services and results.
Resources needed
Call I "Promoting innovation and technology transfer centres“:
Total allocated for all projects: ~ €5.7 million; up to €700K/1 project
Call II "Entrepreneurship in science and higher education institutions":
Total allocated for all projects: ~ €7.73 million; up to €700K/1 project
Evidence of success
Call I: 9 projects were carried out.
Call II: 12 projects were carried out.
Example of Kaunas University of Technology project results - impact on technology transfer and intellectual property (2019-2023):
- >3500 consulting hours for private and public sectors;
- ~1000 commercial offers to the public and private entities;
- 163 disclosures;
- 139 patent applications;
- 196 licensing, IP rights transfer agreements;
- >600 IP commercialisation revenues, thous.Eur;
- 34 spin-offs
Potential for learning or transfer
The impact of this measure is evident across several key areas: strengthened staff, enhanced professionalism, increased experience and improved relationships within ecosystems, particularly in science-business cooperation.
This initiative is recognized as progressive in fostering collaboration between science and business. It has notably contributed to an increase in the share of R&D orders funded by economic operators and has resulted in a significant rise in the number of R&D outputs suitable for commercialization.
Further information
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