That's what the workshop BIGINN: Knowledge and Technology Transfer in Big Science was about in Bilbao, Spain, on 8-9 March. The event was hosted by the Science and Technology Park of the Institute of Physics, a unit of the FTMC, together with partners from Spain and Denmark.

 

During the workshop, innovation and technology transfer specialists shared their experience in working with business.

"Technology transfer takes place by licensing existing technologies to companies, by developing new technologies and products together with companies (such as outsourcing research), or by setting up new, innovative high-tech companies - called spinoffs.

 

We see that the best way to transfer scientific knowledge to society is through business," says Karolis Stašys, Head of Innovation and Science Projects at the FTMC, who took part in the workshop.

 

He was appointed moderator of the third panel and curator of the roundtable. The FTMC representative encouraged colleagues from Spain and Denmark to share how technology and knowledge transfer is taking place in their institutes, what challenges they face - and how to work more closely together.

 

 

(Karolis Stašys. Photo: FTMC)

 

"The technology and knowledge workshop was very highly productive and reached its main goal to share experience and learn from other industry members. Together we managed to find some good practice points and identified top challenges.

 

First of all, communication with partners and industry is a top priority. In order to make technology and knowledge transfer possible and smooth, an understanding and respect is a must from both research and technology organisations and industry. The communication should be two way – not only the researchers should push their technology, but also the industry must increase their technological pull.

 

Secondly, research and technology organisations are responsible for new emerging business entities creation and must nurture entrepreneurship between its scientists and engineers. Organisations should not fear losing its top personnel to spin-out companies as it only temporary. New companies usually become new clients and partners further increasing the demand for new knowledge and allows the refreshment of ideas.

 

But there is one challenge. During the workshop we identified the lack of willingness for a researcher to establish their own companies and the reasons differs from EU region to region. In some cases, they are afraid of the possible business risks, in other cases they simply lack entrepreneurship. This issue should be tackled in future cooperation projects,” says K. Stašys.