EU-supported group of innovation professionals succeeds in bringing public research results in the renewable energy sector to the market Recent success stories in Germany, France and Denmark have proven that a new approach to technology transfer elaborated in the frame of the ProRETT-project can enable and speed up the commercialisation of publicly funded research results. ProRETT is an EU-funded project that promotes technology transfer in the field of renewables and energy efficiency. ProRETT methodology builds on the expertise and experience in technology transfer, innovation processes and finance of the members on the consortium in charge of the project. The ProRETT-supported research-based spin-off Makatec GmbH, has recently won the first place in the CyberOne Award 2007, one of Germany's most prominent business plan awards, with a funding of 15.000 Euro for applying membrane technology for ecological and cost efficient heating and cooling systems. At the same event, FutureE, another ProRETT-supported spin-off originating from the Stuttgart-based energy research centre ZSW, won the third prize and acquired subsequently substantial private funding for its further development. Udo Sievers from i.con innovation, a specialised technology transfer consultancy, who is partner in ProRETT and main coach for both projects can be satisfied: “The prizes have a strong symbolic value, both for the successful teams and for us. To us, they signal that our individualised innovation support services have helped the scientific teams to work out business models and prepare business plans that appeal to investors." Successful commercialisation of public R&D results in the frame of ProRETT has recently happened as well in France and Denmark, where suitable business models were developed together with the scientific teams, and private investors have been found. In the last quarter of 2007 several research results suitable for licensing to existing companies will be presented to selected industry counterparts in the Renewable Energy sector. If you want to know how to cooperate with the ProRETT initiative from a research, investment or industrial point of view, please visit the project webpage: www.prorett.eu or contact us by phone or email. Countries Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom
