In this article, you will learn about technology transfer.
Table of contents
Technology transfer is the movement of data, designs, inventions, materials, software, technical knowledge, or trade secrets from one organization to another or from one purpose to another.
The process of technology transfer is governed by the policies, procedures, and values of each organization involved.
Technology transfer, also known as technology transfer (ToT), is a formal or informal exchange of skills, knowledge, technologies, manufacturing methods, and other information between universities, businesses, and governments.
This type of knowledge transfer ensures that scientific and technological advancements are accessible to a broader range of users who can then help develop or exploit them.
This can happen horizontally across different areas or vertically by moving technologies from research centers to R & D teams, for example.
1. Activities in Technology Transfer
According to the nature of the project, technology transfer activities can include a wide range of different things, such as:
- Patent and intellectual property rights protection
- determining the commercial viability of new ideas and inventions
- Prospective licensees and partners are marketed to.
- Integrating research with principles and strategies for commercialization
- Assisting with the formation and development of new businesses
- Obtaining research and start-up funding
- Licensing and partnership agreements are negotiated.
- Developing a business strategy
- Creating innovation ecosystems and structures to support and promote economic development and innovation
- In order to bring a commercial product to market, it is necessary to encourage innovation and engage in entrepreneurship.
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Depending on the nature of the innovation, product, services, and end goals, technology transfer can include a variety of other activities.
2. What are the Three Steps in the Technology Transfer Process?
Preparation, installation, and utilisation are the three phases of technology transfer activities. Technological, organisational, and environmental factors all have an impact on these three phases.
However, some people believe that there are six steps in the technology transfer process:
- Disclosure of an invention
- Evaluation
- application for a patent
- Evaluation and promotion
- Licensing of patents
- Commercialisation
These steps lead to the development of a commercial product from an idea. through market analysis, intellectual property protection and licensing, as well as market promotion and commercialization.
3. What Is the Importance of Technology Transfer?
Transforming scientific and technological research, along with the associated skills and procedures, into a more broadly applicable marketable product is called technology transfer.
These breakthroughs are protected and disclosed as part of the value chain. This is when the research becomes a useful product, process, or service for society. Successful products can also reinvest their profits into new research, re-starting the cycle.
This generates funds for faculty recruitment, research, and other university needs. Companies can use academic research to create new products without spending money on internal R&D.
Economic growth, new ventures, and stronger industry are all benefits of successful technology transfer.
Securing lives, improving health, cleaning the environment, and developing new technologies benefit society as a whole.
4. How SMEs Use Technology Transfer
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) benefit from technology transfer because it allows them to compete with larger businesses. Instead of having to pay for their own research and development, small businesses can form alliances with other businesses and research institutions to make new things, cut costs, or share technology.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are able to adapt technology transfer to meet their specific needs, overcome obstacles and challenges, acquire and develop technologies, and gain access to new research.
SMEs can respond to challenges and contribute to technological advancements, economic growth, and their own ability to innovate by employing tech transfer methods.
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5. Examples of Technology Transfer
There are countless examples of successful university and government technology transfer to market. In 2018, research at Duke, NC State, and UNC Chapel Hill resulted in 41 startups and $63 million in licencing revenue. Technology transfers are commonly associated with biomedical, manufacturing, and other highly technical fields. However, these examples represent a variety of innovations and organisations:
Microscale Combustion Calorimeter: Underwriters Laboratories has adopted a device developed and patented by the Federal Aviation Administration to test material flammability (UL).
Bicycle Therapeutics: The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, which is a part of UK Research and Innovation, conducted research on “high affinity, specificity, and stability” peptide drugs before forming Bicycle Therapeutics.
6. Way forward
People use technology transfer to connect research with real-world products that can help people, solve problems, and make money that can be used to fund more research and development.
People who work for small businesses need technology transfer the most, because they can use other people’s knowledge and research to make new products and ideas that are ready to go into the market.
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- What is Technology Transfer? (Definition and Examples) – TWI. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2022, from https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/what-is-technology-transfer
- What is Technology Transfer? (with Examples) – IP.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2022, from https://ip.com/blog/what-is-technology-transfer-with-examples/
