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G.J. van den Berg, accountmanager SME Valorisation TU Delft
Mission Valorisation Centre:Linking Science and Society e.g.
SME’s
How to start and facilitate the innovation process also for SME’s?
Role of an ILO / TTO• Introduction and short history development TTO / ILO• Specific problems and obstacles facing innovation and
university-industry relation in the MEDA region (Unchain)• Challenges for Universities, Government and SME’s• Valorisation: What is in it for me / SME’s?• SME’s in The Netherlands and their innovationpartners• Instruments to stimulate innovation processes for SME’s • Specific activities of Valorisation Centre towards SME’s and
some experiences in collaboration with SME’s • Basic facilities at universities to facilitate the innovation process• Opportunities for improvement for universities in the MEDA
region
Development of TTO / ILO at TU Delft
• 1979-1989: start transfer technology activities (‘transfer ptn’) at universities supported by EZ
• 1989-1999: Contract Office / Liaison Office• 1999-2002: Business Service Centre• 2002-2006: JBZ, FA, USB of
‘Universiteitsdienst’• 2006-present: Valorisation Centre, integral
approach of valorisation activities, and focus on enterpreneurship (YES!Delft), IPR, big companies and SME’s, finance schemes, etc
Specific problems and obstacles facing innovation and the university-industry relation in the MEDA region
(Unchain)• Research by universities is generally of little interest to industry and or relevance to the economy
• Graduates lack problem-solving skills• Lack of awareness among researchers of the importance
of their research to solve local industrial problems• Almost total lack of communication between universities
and industry; the process is not managed by universities• Industry is not able to translate their needs into
requirements for R&D and Innovation • Finally, lack of communication and exchange of
information, e.g. ‘best practices’, between the Meda universities and EU universities
• And, the MEDA region partners provide an annually pool of ca 100,000 engineers and other graduates looking for a job
Cooperation
Universities GovernmentCompaniesincl SME’s
Region National Europe World
ICT-networ
ICT-network
B2SP/Medical Delta
Challenges for UniversitiesStimulation for an ‘open mindset’ of researchers and students for industry i.e. for SME’s (awareness) Translation of the questions/problems of SME’s (‘vraagarticulatie’) and also by finding financial resources for collaboration
Creation of open-access for SME’s for research results, facilities, etc (transparancy), and to stimulate networking between stake- holders: TTO managers, managers of industry, government, etc, and introduce transparent procedures in collaboration (trust)
Commitments of the Board and faculties, and the introduction of incentives also to start long-term collaboration with SME’s
Challenges for GovernmentStimulation of a better collaboration between universities, Higher Education Institutes and Industry including SME’s to come up with solutions for economic an societal problems (Energy, Health/Care) To stimulate and support (also financially) the development of regional and thematic networks, clusters (NGI, ICT)
Focus on long-term results (after 10-15 yr period), so 3-5 yr is far to short, by sufficient investments by fixed % of all R&D activities
Not only stimulate, but also monitor and evaluate results! by development of proper indicators to measure the impact of the various valorisation activities on the economy and society
Challenges for SME’sOpen innovation model (vs closed and linear): management and organization of innovation processes becomes more and more complex, e.g. due to a lack of skilled liaison managers in SME’s Innovations in SME’s is also hampering by a lack of financial resources, to recruit specialized workers, and small innovation portfolios and shortened product life cycles
Therefore, networking behavior, clustering and creation of R&D alliances between non-competing companies becomes more and more important (bottem-up)
Valorisation: What is in it for me? / SME’s?
• First of all: better access to available knowledge at universities, Higher Educations Institutes (HBO’s), and to
• Networks: regional, national and international (European Enterprise Network)
• Transparancy of (knowledge)infrastructure• Further: lowering of costs for R&D• However: differentiate between manufacturing- and
services industry, sector and markets (local, regional, (int)national), andbe aware that (most) SME’s have no liaison managers
• Think Global but act Local and/or Regional (also Global?)
• about 600,000 SME’s (5-250 fte’s)• about 2,000 big companies (> 250 fte’s)• in total: 4.1 vs. 2,8 milj. fte’s • SME characteristics:• 15,000 with own R&D / high-tech, innovators!• 150,000 developers / middle-tech• 100,000 co-developers / low-tech• about 350,000 others
SME’s in The Netherlands
• Primary:• Customers• Colleagues and/or branche organizations (case DevLab)• Higher Education Institutes (HBO) (SIA program)• Agencies, e.g. Syntens (agency of EZ)• Government: ‘Agentschap NL’ (WBSO, innovation
vouchers)• Secondary:
• TNO, GTI’s, DLO• local, regional, national agencies (DKS, Zuid-Holland, KA,
development agencies, technology parks• Universities………
Innovationpartners for SME’s inThe Netherlands
Development of instruments by Ministeries of EZ, OC&W, LNV
• Subsidizes of EZ / ‘Agentschap NL’ (IOP, etc)• Innovation vouchers (public and private)• IPC’s: Innovation ‘Prestatie’ Contracts• SIA: Foundation Innovation Alliance; MKB-Nederland,
‘HBO-Raad’, TNO, Syntens, VNO-NCW; special program for Higher Education Institutes and SME’s
• Small Business Innovation Research program (VG, STW) • EU? (Eurostars program, European Enterprises network)• Activities of InnovationPlatform (KIA)
Instruments to stimulate the innovation process for SME’s
• Collaboration between VC and other internal and external SME-portals (local)
• Development of one SME-portal with other regional stakeholders (regional)
• Strategic networks: Greenport Campus, Medical Delta, B2SP, ICT, Technet, Delft Design (regional)
• SME Breakfast meetings, Medical Delta Café’s• Delft SME Days• Collaboration within 3TU’s (national)
(Specific) Activities Valorisation Centre (VC) for SME’s
• Research:• language barrier, time (short- vs long-term), no clear results, etc
• Education:• projects with students as ‘young professionals’, also first contact
with university• Consultancy:
• first contact with experts• Facility sharing:
• specific appointments with spin-offs; special research centres (HI)
• In general:• contacts based on ‘old-boys-networks’ (alumni)
Experiences in collaboration between SME’s and Universities
• Valorisation Centre / Competence Centre: a one-stop-shop/counter for access to research (results) and education (student projects) and facilities
• Dedicated accountmanagers (‘people’s business’)• SME-portal: specific and pro-active service desk• Community of Practice: virtual or local / regional
networks, thematic or problem based, bottem-up• Facility Sharing: lab’s, (large)instruments, etc• Exchange / Mobility of employees university and
SME’s
Some Facilities at universities of Meda-region to facilitate Valorisation and the Innovation Process
• Number of researchers, PhD’s, students• Main research topics (energy, health, infrastructures)• Experiences with Valorisation (Third Mission): attitude and
competences researchers, experts, organization, commitments, collaboration with SME’s, etc
• Organizational (TTO) model: internal, outsourced / private, and TTO’s in a laison role, and other experts
• Matching available knowledge / expertise with SME’s needs: for individual SME’s, clusters of SME’s, and translate their needs into requirements for R&D and Innovation
• Creation of a co-location of university(ies), HEI (HBO), R&D labs companies, spin-offs, etc
Checklist for Universitiesin the Meda-region to start and facilitate innovation process
• a number of quick wins can be realized by exchange information, ‘best practices’?, within the MEDA region: Morocco has developed a clear policy for innovation (CNRST, OMPIC), in Tunesia industry-academia links already exist and pioneering academics are active, and the government is establishing the Sfax technology Park (STP), in Egypt IMC and SEKEM are active, and Lebanon developed the STIP plan strengthening partnerships between universities and private enterprises
• Start and/or cont. ‘innovation dialogue’ with all stakeholders: university, industry, government and associations, and come up with a valorisationagenda (SMART principle) (communication)
Opportunities for improvement for the universities in the Meda-region (1)
• Focus on local, regional and/or national context :what type of companies/SME’s is working in your area? are there specific innovation needs? what type of research is needed? are there any networks or clusters of companies / SME’s? are there any other university or research center?
• Focus on training your graduates to become more entrepreneurial, and make researchers aware for the needs of industry, SME’s (awareness)
• Creation of meeting / market-places where business people and researchers can meet each other (communication)
• Questions?
Opportunities for improvement for the universities in the Meda-region (2)
Gert Jan van den Berg, accountmanager SMEValorisation Centre TU Delft
Questions???
