WIPO/INN/MCT/04/3 WIPO NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON INNOVATION SUPPORT SERVICES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT Muscat, April 20, 2004 DEVELOPMENT OF AN INNOVATION CENTER presented by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

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WIPO/INN/MCT/04/3WIPO NATIONAL
WORKSHOP ON INNOVATION SUPPORT SERVICES AND THEIR
MANAGEMENTMuscat, April 20, 2004DEVELOPMENT
OF AN INNOVATIONCENTERpresented by the
International Bureau of theWorld Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO)
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Invention and Innovation

• Invention
• Innovation
• Key actors in the innovation process
• inventors and innovators
• entrepreneurs
• RD organizations
• innovative companies

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Innovation Support Services -Are They Necessary?

• Invention and innovation engines of
  growth and development
• Innovations do not happen they are planned
  and developed
• Longer period for development and marketing
• Need for initial support and resources

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Government Support is Justified

• Many governments support innovation public
  services, financing, tax breaks
• Private sector limited support, expecting short
  term returns
• Innovation support long term, strategic
  investment, same as funding for RD activities
• Innovation support public service, similar to
  health care and education

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Designing an Innovation Support Service

• Main Objectives
• Promote innovation and knowledge based
• sustainable development
• Stimulate use and application of national
  knowledge and innovation potential
• Encourage employment through creativity and
• entrepreneurship

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Designing an Innovation Support Service

• Main Actions
• Selection and information
• Assistance / advise / coaching
• Education and awareness building

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Designing an InnovationSupport Service

• Activities
• Receiving and screening innovative projects
• Assess success potential
• Support promising projects
• Promote awareness

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Designing an InnovationSupport Service

• Activities
• Maximize the number of routinely processed
  inventions/projects
• Assist development and packaging of promising
  inventions / projects
• Attract resources for promising projects
• Educate inventors / innovators on the innovation
  process and management

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Creating an Innovation Center Feasibility Study

• Existing innovation and invention potential
• Sources of invention and innovation
• The major fields of technology
• The existing expertise
• The legal and financial framework
• Government policies and support for innovation
• Intellectual property system
• Beneficiaries (SMEs, RD organizations, etc.)
• Economic and financial environment for
  enterprise
• creation and support for public sector RD

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Creating an Innovation Center

• Strategic Decisions
• Define objectives
• Identify field of technology
• Identify general manager / innovation champion
• Identify participants / stakeholders
• private sector, government agencies, financial
  institutions, universities, RD organizations
• Select board members
• Define scope of activities and conditions (free
  or fee based)

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Creating an Innovation Center

• Strategic Decisions - Scope of Activities
• Innovation awareness creation and training
• Project assessment and report
• Project support and business planning
• IPR related services
• Business promotion and marketing
• Strong Internet presence
• Company hosting and incubation

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Creating an Innovation Center

• Strategic Decisions - Conditions
• Free services, cost-recovery based services or
  commercial (for profit) services
• Limited to specific users or open for all
• Participation in innovative companies (minority
  participation)
• Investment (management of innovation support or
  development fund)

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Creating an Innovation Center

• Operational Planning and Implementation
• Recruitment of CEO (General Manager)
• Recruitment of Personal Assistant for CEO
• Identification of site/premises for offices
• Formulate policies and procedures for operations
• initial free consultation (e.g. 1 hr. duration)
• further support (e.g. project equity, cost fee)
• produce a check-list for assessing submissions
• produce a score sheet for project evaluation
• Select local advisers / consultants accountants
  and auditors, legal advisers

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Creating an Innovation Center

• Operational Planning and Implementation
• Select project assessment panel
• Identify technical experts to assist in project
  evaluation
• Develop and use operational guidelines and model
  agreements
• confidential disclosure agreement
• model supply of materials agreement
• model consultancy and services agreement
• assignment of rights agreement
• model RD, license, and joint venture agreements
• Create Internet site
• Engagement of business development executives

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Creating an Innovation Center

• Innovation support services to be operated as
  business companies
• Operational funds should be made available for a
  minimal period of 3 to 5 years
• Promising innovation projects to be also
  considered by government planners
• Innovation support services should not be subject
  to taxation (profit or cooperate tax)
• Special attention to intellectual property (IP)
  matters

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Conclusions

• Innovation Support Services
• Add value to RD activities
• Selection of promising projects
• Nursery for new products and technology
• Entrepreneurs create the missing link
• Government and public authorities create
  favorable environment

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• Innovation support services
• help transform ideas
• and dreams into
• real action and products
• Thank you for your attention