A new INSPIRING ERA policy brief on Knowledge Valorisation highlights a key challenge for Europe: awareness is growing, but turning research results into real economic and societal value still requires stronger capacities, better incentives and more practical support. For Widening countries and outermost regions, these findings are particularly relevant.

Knowledge Valorisation is no longer a niche topic in European research and innovation policy. It is becoming central to how we understand the impact of research, the role of universities and research organisations, and the ability of Europe’s innovation ecosystems to respond to societal, industrial and public-sector needs.

The recently published INSPIRING ERA policy brief “Supporting the Uptake of ERA Policy Agenda Outcomes: Knowledge Valorisation” provides practice-oriented insights into how Knowledge Valorisation is implemented across Europe. Based on interviews with 24 stakeholders from 13 countries and survey responses from 68 participants, the report looks at the issue from five interconnected levels: researchers, demand-side actors, institutions, national frameworks and European-level instruments.

One of the main conclusions is clear: Europe has strong potential for Knowledge Valorisation, but implementation remains uneven. The report points to several recurring barriers, including limited staff capacity, insufficient early-stage and proof-of-concept funding, weak incentives for researchers, administrative complexity, legal uncertainty and under-resourced intermediary structures such as technology transfer offices, innovation hubs and clusters.

These barriers are especially important from the perspective of Widening countries and outermost regions. In ecosystems where research support structures may be smaller, less specialised or more dependent on project-based funding, the gap between promising research results and their practical uptake can be particularly difficult to bridge. The report also notes that stakeholders from Widening contexts often need locally grounded examples and peer-learning opportunities from organisations working under similar conditions, rather than only models from highly resourced innovation ecosystems.

The findings strongly resonate with the mission of the widerAdvance Facility. Our work focuses on supporting organisations from Widening countries and outermost regions in moving their Key Exploitable Results closer to uptake. Through tailored services, including Dissemination & Exploitation Academies, IP support, standardisation, pitching, synergies and preparation for matching with third parties, we help clients better understand, develop and communicate the value of their research results.

The policy brief also underlines the importance of moving beyond a narrow understanding of Knowledge Valorisation. While patents, licensing and spin-offs remain important pathways, valorisation also includes collaboration with public authorities, policy uptake, consulting, service development, digital tools, societal innovation and other forms of impact. This broader perspective is particularly relevant for many Widening projects, where valuable results may come from different disciplines and may address local, regional or societal challenges that do not always follow a traditional commercialisation route.

Another key message concerns the role of intermediaries. Technology transfer offices, research management units, innovation agencies, clusters and other support organisations are described as essential actors in the valorisation process. They help researchers identify potential applications, connect with external users, navigate intellectual property and funding issues, and move through what the report calls the difficult middle between initial contact and actual implementation. Strengthening these intermediary capacities is therefore crucial for making valorisation more systematic and sustainable.

The report also highlights the need for more practical and user-oriented European tools. Respondents pointed to the value of step-by-step guidance, concrete examples, templates, early-stage valorisation tools, training formats and cases from similar institutions. This is an important reminder that policy frameworks are most effective when they can be translated into everyday practice by researchers, research managers and innovation support professionals.

For widerAdvance Facility, these findings reinforce the importance of hands-on, tailored and context-sensitive support. Knowledge Valorisation does not happen automatically once a research result exists. It requires early reflection, the right skills, institutional commitment, access to networks, demand-side engagement and practical support adapted to the maturity of the result and the needs of the organisation.

The INSPIRING ERA policy brief is therefore a valuable contribution to the broader European discussion on how to make research results more visible, usable and impactful. It also confirms that Widening countries and outermost regions have significant untapped potential — and that this potential can be strengthened through targeted services, better-connected ecosystems and more inclusive valorisation practices.

At widerAdvance Facility, we are working precisely in this direction: helping clients turn research results into value, impact and opportunities for further development.

Read the full policy brief:
https://www.inspiring-era.eu/resource/inspiring-era-policy-brief-supporting-the-uptake-of-era-policy-agenda-outcomes-knowledge-valorisation/