CORDIS RTD-Results: For technology transfer
The CORDIS RTD-Results database is increasingly being seen as a tool for technology transfer. The offers of technology on the database are not only available on a passive basis to users of the service but are also being actively promoted at various exhibitions, seminars and conferences throughout Europe. As part of these promotional activities, a member of the CORDIS team recently visited Northern Ireland in order to take part in a two day technology transfer meeting in Belfast (March 1994). This event was organized by LEDU, the Local Enterprise Development Unit for Northern Ireland, in collaboration with TII, a European Association for the transfer of technology innovation and industrial information, and SPRINT, the Strategic Programme for Innovation and Technology Transfer. The event comprised a series of short meetings between interested parties and was attended by a number of local companies from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as technology brokers from throughout Europe. The event was highly successful, with many companies finding useful technologies and a significant number wishing to use CORDIS to search for other potential areas of interest. In addition, a number of technology brokers expressed interest in placing their technology offers on RTD-Results. One of these, FORBAIRT (formerly EOLAS) has given CORDIS some 80 technology offers from the Republic of Ireland. These will shortly be added to the database. Forthcoming technology transfer events at which RTD-Results will be promoted include a major conference which is taking place after the Hannover Fair entitled "Technology Transfer Practice in Europe - Experience of the last ten years and developments to the Year 2000". The conference, which is organized by TII and SPRINT with collaboration from Erfinderzentrum Norddeutschland Gmbh and KommunalVerband Grossraum Hannover, is expected to be attended by more than 350 technology transfer professionals from all parts of Europe. The CORDIS stand in the main hall will demonstrate the RTD-Results database and encourage technology brokers both to access the database for opportunities, and to add their offers with a view to obtaining wider coverage through CORDIS. Another method now available for promoting the technology offers in the RTD-Results database is the new "RTD-Results" magazine. The first issue was recently been circulated as a supplement to "CORDIS Focus". This publication, which will be issued every quarter, contains information on firms seeking collaboration for their specific technology offers. The first issue consists of 28 pages containing 90 technology offers from throughout Europe on topics such as industry and technology, protection of man and the environment, biological sciences and energy. Each technology offer includes a short summary of the technology, information on the potential market applications plus a description of the collaboration sought (joint venture, licence, marketing or manufacturing agreements).