This webinar will focus on the challenge of identifying research results with commercial interest, and protecting them without jeopardizing researchers’ academic progress or industry interests. It will also explain the importance of balancing protection and dissemination strategically. The perspectives of researchers, industry, and the technology-transfer officers will be contrasted, and practical advice will be offered for Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs): How can a researcher be convinced that protection should take priority over dissemination at a conference or in a journal? How can the protection process be accelerated, including the use of specialized software tools and artificial intelligence? How can industry be persuaded that certain data should be disclosed for the benefit of researchers? How can a “white paper” disclose to industry the potential of new technology without diminishing its novelty? Real-world examples from various experts will illustrate these points.
- What is IPR Protection. Open Science and IPR goals, the example of patents and scientific publications.
- How to identify research results with commercial interest
- Defensive publication can block competitors — but closes your patent path
- Patent first if you want control, revenue, or exclusivity
- Check licenses — Open ≠ free use
- Balance protection and dissemination strategically — and early
- Real Examples and Useful Tips and Tools
- COFFEE BREAK (15 min)
- Understanding the researcher’s perspective. How to reduce conflicts between academic and transfer interests: from white papers to shortcuts in “Technical Due Diligence”.
- Understanding the industrial perspective: “As Open as Possible, as closed as necessary”. Academia-industry joint research, license of academic results or transfer to a third party.
- The TTO Management Strategy. Selecting priorities (novelty assessment, technical and legal issues, Market Pull test). Accelerating protection. Dissemination Strategy. Balancing academic and industrial interests (mediator/arbitrator role).
- Informatic Tools (IT) to support TTOs in the Evaluation Workflow. Specialized and AI-driven tools. Low- and high-budget options (from Wellspring to Innoloft, AirTable, etc)
Agenda
- 14:00 – 14:10: Connection start & Introduction
- 14:10 – 14:20 Presentation of the widerAdvance Facility
- 14:20 – 15.30 Webinar with intermediate coffee break
- 15.30 – 15:55: Round table discussion
- 15:55 – 16:00: Wrap up
