Commission compiles catalogue of European technology transfer institutions
The European Commission's Enterprise DG, together with a consortium of European companies, has compiled a catalogue of technology transfer institutions in Europe. The database lists over 1,500 institutions and organisations based in the current Member States and acceding countries, along with searchable contact information. Where available, the catalogue also provides additional information on the types of activity, as well as scientific and technological fields covered. Technology transfer institutions (TTIs) are often the channels that bring science and industry together. They are structured differently, and play diverse roles in national innovation systems. In recent years, both Europe and the US have experienced a rapid growth in such organisations, possibly due to new forms of intellectual property rights legislation and recognition of the need for cooperation between public research organisations and enterprises. TTIs are identified in the catalogue as: organisations or parts of an organisation which help the staff at public research organisations to identify and manage the organisation's intellectual assets; organisations that help staff at public research organisations to create new companies in order to develop or commercialise an invention; and those contract research organisations providing research services to the private sector that have a specific technology transfer function. The study that led to the TTI database involved an attempt to classify the various institutions facilitating technology transfer, and to provide data for future analyses of the success or failure of different types of TTI. The study highlights the advantages and disadvantages of, for example, TTIs integrated into public research organisations. They are likely to have lower fixed costs, and the proximity to researchers ensures close links and familiarity with research projects. This is of course helpful during the commercialisation process. 'On the other hand, there is a risk that such TTIs will focus on existing ventures and neglect new opportunities. Their strong inward orientation might affect the quality of their marketing activities and the professionalism of their transfer and management expertise,' states the study. The study notes a trend in some countries, such as Germany, Sweden and Norway, to concentrate technology transfer services at key players. The advantages of this method, it is claimed, are the professionalism of transfer activities, economies of scale and broader access to commercialisation opportunities. Disadvantages include a greater distance from research, insufficient incentives for the exploitation of opportunities and weak management of the portfolio of research results and capacities at the public research organisations with which they are linked. The catalogue is the result of an ongoing study funded by DG Enterprise - 'Improving institutions for the transfer of technology from science to enterprise' (ITTE). Further results are expected in June 2004.