Researchers vs Entrepreneurs: who drives innovation? · Who Drives Innovation? Academic career Business career Researchers vs Entrepreneurs What is innovation? Who drives innovation?

NSTF: Career Paths for Researchers 03 Dec 2019

COPYRIGHT - DNAbiotec 2019 1

03 Dec 2019 – NSTF: Career paths for researchers © 2019 DNAbiotec (Pty) Ltd

Researchers vs Entrepreneurs:

who drives innovation?

Dr Antonel Olckers CEO │ Director │ Co-Founder

DNAbiotec (Pty) Ltd ..

xxx@biotechCEO │ @DNAbiotec

© 2019 DNAbiotec® 2

Affiliations

CEO │ Director │ Co-Founder • DNAbiotec®

National IP Management Office (NIPMO) Advisory Board

Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)

• Genomics & Genetics: Ethical, Legal and Social Issues

National Council of Innovation (NACI)

• National Biotech Advisory Committee (NBAC)

• BioEconomy Team & BioEconomy Metrics Team

Academic Advisory Boards

• University of Pretoria

– Institute for Cellular & Molecular Medicine

• Tshwane University of Technology

– Dept of Biotechnology

Dept of Science & Technology - Dept of Science & Innovation

• BioEconomy Strategy, Several Committees.

Other




Who Drives Innovation?

Academic career

Business career

Researchers vs Entrepreneurs

What is innovation?

Who drives innovation?

What I think we need going forward

What we need for innovation to succeed in ZA

2 Major threats to innovation at the national level

4 things I know about the future

What an innovative engineer looks like

Find your role

Be the change


Acknowledgements – Academic Career

Academic career

• Full time until Sep 2001

The 3 men

• Who taught me how to lead a research team

– Prof George Gericke - PhD supervisor

– Prof Roy Levitt - PhD co-supervisor

– Prof Doug Wallace - Research collaborator & mentor

Many others

• Especially those who taught me the

– Difference between pseudo-science & science




Academic Career

Field of molecular human genetics

Student

Research Officer

Senior Lecturer

Head: Molecular Biology Unit, Dept Human

Genetics, UP

Director: Centre for Genome Research, NWU

Graduated

• 30+ MSc & PhD students

2 Extra-ordinary Professor positions since then


Acknowledgements – Business Career

DNAbiotec Team

• Over past 18 years

• Helped DNAbiotec®

– From Concept to Profit

– Via innovation

The 1 man

Who showed me how to lead a business team

– Other director of DNAbiotec®

– Paul Olckers (Electronic Engineer): CEO of 5DT

• Taught me almost everything I know about business

– Shared his business knowledge and skills

– Set an incredible example for me as an entrepreneur




Business Career

Field of biotechnology

CEO of DNAbiotec® for past 18 years

• Company founded in Oct 2001

3 main income-generating activities

• Forensic science

– DNA expert in court cases

• Biotechnology

– Research (human genetics field, at start of company)

– Services (business & innovation related)

• Training

– Science, Business & Forensic portfolio’s


Today as Entrepreneur

How many patents do I have?

Other IP ...

When I left academia

• I knew how to do certain things well

• Discovered there are people (market)

– Willing to pay for what I can do well

– My aha moment !

• I have tons of know-how




International Client Profile

44 countries: 24 in Africa & 20 in rest of world


Some of our academic clients in ZA




Some of our public clients in ZA


Some private clients in ZA





Researcher vs Entrepreneur




Traditionally Different Mind-sets

From: https://gdfm.me/2009/11/18/6//


Researcher vs Entrepreneur

Are these roles mutually exclusive?

• Can you be only one?

• Start and finish your career as

– Researcher?

– Entrepreneur?




Researcher: traditional role in the past

Academic sector

Focus on research

Generate knowledge

Publish papers

Interaction with other sectors

• None with private sector

• Interacted with public sector when needed

Believed academia drives innovation

• It’s all about the research & knowledge it creates


Entrepreneur: traditional role in the past

Private sector

Focus solely on business

Create products & services

• Push these into the market

Make profit

Interaction with other sectors

• Mostly none with academic sector

• Only when absolutely necessary with public sector

Believed private sector alone drives innovation

• It is all about the products & services




Consequences of past roles

Created

• US vs THEM mentality

• So-called innovation chasm

• Misunderstanding of the each sector’s role by the other

At national level

• Stifled innovation

• Missed opportunities


Each sector believed

Only they see “ the truth ”



© 2019 DNAbiotec® 21 21

Of course it is an ORANGE

Image Source: Licenced from ThinkStock

© 2019 DNAbiotec® 22 22

Of course it is a KIWI FRUIT




© 2019 DNAbiotec® 23 23

Looking at the entire picture reveals ...



Same is true for ...

Innovation

• Look at entire innovation network

Who does what?

• Clarify roles of

– Researcher

– Entrepreneur

Then decide

• Who drives innovation?

• Is THIS even the right question to ask ...




Getting back to basics

What is innovation?

• Innovation defined in the smallest number

– “Activities or Aspects”

Literally define what it means

• To us in DNAbiotec

– Small biotech company

Tested model with

• Many SMMEs

• Several large internationals

• All in agreement

– It is also how they innovate


Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research




Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research


Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research




Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research


Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research




Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research


Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research




Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research


Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research




Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research

Legal framework Ethics

Many other factors with

impact

Policy framework


Innovation

Element Input Process Output

Idea

• Background IP

• Papers

• Patents

Idea evaluation Mature idea

Research Mature idea The scientific

process

• Valid research

result

• Invention

Development Valid research

result

• E.g. Testing “fit

for purpose”

• Etc.

Proof of concept

Productisation Proof of concept

Transform

invention to

product

Prototype

Manufacturing Prototype • Pilot scale

• Full scale

Product ready

for sale

Commercialisation Manufactured

product

• Marketing

• Sales

• Etc.

• Product traded

in market

• Innovation




Documented knowledge

also useful to others


Value of Know-How

Underestimated

• Mention again later ...




Knowledge Economy

Private SME

Know what knowledge economy (KE) is

Unpacked what innovation means for DNAbiotec

• How we innovate

Also what the knowledge economy means to us

• BioEconomy


Market Capital

Economy

Intellectual Capital

Innovation

Deconstruction

Synthesis

Invention (if novel)

Understanding

Insight

Knowledge

Entrepreneurs Innovate

Researchers Invent




Private Sector Definitions

Invention

• Require research etc.

• Cost money

Innovation

• Products & services traded in the market

• Make money


Innovation remained fragmented

Both sectors were working hard

• Researchers

• Entrepreneurs

But not necessarily together

• With innovation mindset

Clearly each sector on their own

• Cannot fix innovation fragmentation at national level




Past vs Future

Silo thinking of the past

• No longer relevant

• Not an innovation enabler

New paradigm is needed

• There is no “us” and “them”

– It is only US

• Our fates are linked in South Africa


In South Africa - our fates are LINKED

Taxes paid to

SARS

SARS pays

into fiscus

Treasury allocates

to DSI

DSI allocates

to e.g. NRF

NRF funds research

grants to academia

Academia

use grants,

generate technology

PVT sector

can license technology

& use it to make profit




Linked fates

Researcher & Entrepreneur

• Fates are linked

Logic dictates

• Working together to achieve our common goal of

– STRONG national economy


Researchers & Enterpreneurs

Each have gone at it alone

• Tried to drive innovation

• Failed to drive innovation

Because

• Innovation needs both to drive it

• Each in their own sector, with

– Innovation mind-set

– Keeping entire innovation network in mind

– High level of engagement with the other




This is what I think we need going forward

New mind-set

Innovation that grows the economy

We require

• Entrepreneurial researchers

• &

• Researcher entrepreneurs


Entrepreneurial Researcher




Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research


Entrepreneurial Researcher

Cultivate entrepreneurial mind-set

• Example

– Look for opportunities in unconventional places (funding)

Research

• Feeds into innovation

• Applied research leads to products & services

• What gets funded first at the national level?

Aware of their role in innovation

Be able to communicate with

• Private sector

• Government / Public sector




Researcher Entrepreneur


Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research





Cultivate research mind-set

• Example

– Base decisions on scientific fact

• Speaks to sustainability of the company

Business products & services

• Flows from inventions

• Business with “scientific method” approach

Aware of their role in innovation

Be able to communicate with

• Academia

• Government / Public sector


Know-How

DNAbiotec has know-how

• About e.g.

– Research

– Specific technologies

We documented our know-how

• Generate income from the IP




Essential Short Course Series™

Science Portfolio

Business Portfolio

Forensic Portfolio


Essential PCR ™

Essential Real-Time PCR ™

Essential DNA Sequencing ™

Essential Good Lab Practise ™

Essential Molecular Calculations ™

Essential Biostatistics ™

Essential SCIENCE Portfolio




Essential Business Practice ™

Essential IP Management ®

Essential Science Project Management ™

Essential Grant / Science Writing ™

Essential Ethics in Science ™

Essential Social Responsibility ™

Essential Innovation ™

Essential Entrepreneurship ™

Essential Business Start-Up ™

Essential BUSINESS Portfolio


Essential DNA Evidence ™

Essential Cross-Examination™

Essential DNA Evidence & Statistical Analysis™

Essential FORENSIC Portfolio





Univ of Venda, Univ of Limpopo, Univ of Fort Hare, Walter Sisulul University




Brutal truth ... Researcher Entrepreneur

See the world as it is

• Not as I wish it to be


Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mercator-map-true-size-of-countries/




Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mercator-map-true-size-of-countries/

© 2019 DNAbiotec® 64 Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mercator-map-true-size-of-countries/

I now see …




Advantage

http://www.travelstart.co.za/blog/wp-

content/uploads/2010/10/africa.jpg

1. USA

2. China

3. UK

4. Japan

5. India

6. Eastern Europe

7. Italy

8. Germany

9. France

10. Switzerland

11. Netherlands

12. Belgium

13. Portugal

14. Spain


Perception vs. Fact

Perception

• R&D grows our economy

Fact

• Only innovation grows economies

– R&D is only a part of it





Papers in 2019


Major Threats to Innovation




Major Threats to Innovation

At national level

Highlight only 2 today

• A. Not using all our national resources

• B. Not educating for the future


A. Not using all our resources

We do so at great risk to

• The NSI

• The country




Youth Unemployment

Source: Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU), UCT, September 2019

(Data (%) rounded off)


Education Matters

Source: Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU), UCT, September 2019

(Data (%) rounded off)




Twitter post on 03 Oct 2019

Please hire me

Environmental Sciences

Degree Graduate

(CV in hand)

076 989 1325


Consequences of Unemployment

Youth is not silent on the effects

Depression

is caused by

unemployment




B. Not educating for the future

Entrepreneurship

Financial education

• Why is basic financial education not in school curricula?

• Manage own money / money of others

– Devastating effect of interest


Science Career

I expected to face the science every day

• Hard / technical skills

Did not expect to

• Read Acts (the Law)

• Come to grips with complex ethical frameworks

• Learn about Intellectual Property (IP)

• Master soft skills

• Assist Government in multiple committees

• Etc.




It means

You may not like it

• If you have a degree in biotech / genetics / etc.

• You may ALSO have to

– Adapt to the digital world

– Learn to code !

– Understand robotics workflows

– Become an expert in another field

– Etc.





https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-07-30-young-people-are-the-future-six-quotes-from-

ramaphosas-adea-address/

Unemployment rate among graduates

Changing the direction of education

• Relevant skills for 4IR

Technology replacing workers

• “impetus for economic activity is shifting from very

large enterprises to smaller individual-led

companies”

STEM skills

• Ideally 70% of tertiary graduates should be in STEM

Secondary education’s crucial role

• “Getting the basics right earlier in their lives”

• Primary education ...

Problem solving and reasoning

• Critical thinking skills


“ Guess who’s coming to grad school? ”

From: https://gdfm.me/2010/01/22/grad-school-unemployment/

Image Source: www.PHDCOMICS.COM

© Jorge Cham

Fluctuations in Grad Student

enrolment (Science & Engineering) Fluctuations in

Unemployment Rate




Education System

Ultimately MUST produce graduates that are

• Market ready

How can it be that in 2019 there is

• No digital portal to connect

– Students seeking jobs, to

– Companies that are hiring

• We & collaborator wrote a plan in 2009

– Eventually donated it & all associated IP to DST

• Quality validated data in biotech

• Jobs portal


For Innovation to Succeed

Skills required by both

• Entrepreneurial researcher

• Researcher entrepreneur





Emotional Intelligence

Why it is important

• LinkendIN example

– Mistakes on public profile … 9








Create Your Own Ladder

Graduates are asking

• Who will employ me?

Graduates should be asking

• How can I employ myself?

– And perhaps a few other STEM graduates


Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research



impact

Policy framework

Educate public on

innovation:

citizen innovation

NON-

TRADITIONAL

CAREERS





A puzzle

On the same campus

• We train engineers

– Ready to work for themselves when they graduate

• We train scientists

– Not ready to work for themselves upon graduation

What happens in engineering school?

• It does not happen in science school

• How difficult can this be to fix?




2 Major Threats to Innovation in ZA

Potential to derail innovation at the national level

If we ignore that

• Functional National System of Innovation (NSI) requires

– All national resources must be used

– Education must be in line with future needs


What does an innovative

engineer looks like?





Flat-pack building

http://techtransfercentral.com/2015/01/14/s

tudent-entrepreneurship-stirs-review-

revision-of-ip-ownership-policies/




Zhang Yue


Zhang Yue

Born 1960, 59 years old

Graduated 1980

• Degree in Fine Arts

Worked as

• Teacher

• Librarian

• Founded Broad Group 1988

He attributes his success to his

• Creativity

• Outsider perspective on technology

Source:




Find Your Role in Innovation

Drive innovation

• Wherever you are


What should the question be?

Who drives innovation?

What drives innovation?

How to create a sustainable innovation system?

• Create an innovation CULTURE

– Primary school

– Secondary school

– Tertiary education

– Post-graduate education

– Supervisors

– Etc.




Nobody knows what lies ahead ...

Note:

Image deleted due to rights restrictions


Future is … at least 4 things

Digital

• Computational

AI

• Machine Learning

Robotics

5G & beyond

• 100 x 3G

Implications

for

genomics

&

health research?

Science Forum SA 2018




Pass it on to the Next Generation

Passion for science

Next generation

• Innovators of the future


School Learners

Extracting DNA in the DNAbiotec® laboratory

3 Pictures of learners in our lab was deleted

• Although we have learner assent and parental consent

– We prefer not to distribute these pictures




Productisation

Manufacturing

Development

Concept

Commercialisation

Research



impact

Policy framework

Educate public on

innovation:

citizen innovation

NON-

TRADITIONAL

CAREERS









Create you own path ...

Image: Erik Johansson

Note:

Image deleted due to rights restrictions


[email protected] [email protected]

@DNAbiotec @biotechCEO

DNAbiotec Antonel Olckers

Documents

Researchers vs Entrepreneurs: who drives innovation? · Who Drives Innovation? Academic career Business career Researchers vs Entrepreneurs What is innovation? Who drives innovation?