Grants for
Collaborative Resarch
A Tool for Bridging the Gap between
Universities and the Business
Benjamin Mlýnek
2014-05-20
Czech Technical University in Prague
Overview:
• founded in 1707
• 8 faculties
• over 24 000 students
• over 100 study programs
• 385 specializations
• 1 Technology Transfer Office –
Inovacentrum CTU
Faculties:
• Civil Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Nuclear Sciences and Physical
Eng.
• Architecture
• Transportation Services
• Biomedical Engineering
• Information Technology
1
Inovacentrum CTU – Technology Transfer Office
Since 2009, history since 1990
20 employees
Departments:
•Technology transfer and sales
•Grant/funds
•Marketing/PR
•IT
•HR
•Finance
•Incubator Inovajet
2
Inovacentrum
Jugoslávských partyzánů 3
160 00 Praha 6
www.inovacentrum.cz
Three Main Activities
Commercialization of IP
Orders
Incubator
Kinds of Income
licence fees
patent sales
consultations, orders
grants
Creation of a joint project: university + company
Invention at a university
• University looks for a company to help in
finalizing it, applying it to a product
• University does not know the market
Theme from a company
• Company looks for specialised research
teams
• Company is not capable of developing the
prodact alone
6
Consultations
• I will do it myself with your advice
Collaborative research and development
• One project, two parties commonly sharing:
• effort
• risks
• results
Contractual research and development
• I pay you for doing that particular product for me
Sponsored research
• I sponsor you so that you can deepen the knowledge in
the particular area
7
Consultations
Collaborative
R&D
Contractual
R&D
Sponsored
Research
100% paid
by a
company
Usually a
grant, cofinancing by
a firm
100% paid
by the
company
100% paid
by a
company
Knowledge,
advice
IP
IP
More
broadly
enhanced
knowledge
No IP, no
protection
IP owned
by
inventor‘s
employer
Fully owned
by the
company
If IP: owned
by university,
exclusivity fot
the company
8
Consultations
Collaborative
R&D
Contractual
R&D
Sponsored
Research
Possible to
publish
Publishing
limited
Publishing
almost
impossible
Publishing
rights
depends
Easy
administration
Administration
Administration
very difficult
moderate
Easy
administration
Very
flexible
Very limited
flexibility
Moderate
flexibility
High
flexibility
9
Collaborative R&D
„In a collaboration project, at least two
partners participate in the design of the
project, contribute to its implementation
and share the risk and the output of the
project.“
Community Framework for State Aid for R&D&I
Governments‘ naivety
Government grants for collaborative R&D
Purposes:
To bridge the gap
Future
cooperation
between
universities and
companies
11
Reality?
Competetive advantage for
the company
Absolute control over the IP
No licensing
Limited publishing rights
12
Reasons
Weak negotiation power
Need for grants for any cost
Lack of awareness
Poor legal system
Solutions
Awareness rising seminars
Support from a negotiator
and a lawyer
Contract tamplates
Advantages
Income in a long-run
University as an
equal partner
Motivation for the
research team
Inovacentrum
Jugoslávských partyzánů 3
160 00 Praha 6
www.inovacentrum.cz
Benjamin Mlýnek
[email protected]