Problems and Solutions in the Transfer of Computational Technology

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Problems and Solutions in the Transfer of
Computational Technology

• Kevin Swingler
• INCITE

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Summary

• Technology Transfer Usual methods
• Barriers to technology transfer
• What is INCITE?
• INCITEs solutions
• Invitation to join

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Routes to Technology Transfer
In order of difficulty

• Education!
• Consultancy
• Contract research
• Teaching Company Scheme
• Sale of IPR or technology

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Sale of IPR or Technology

• The result of many kinds of research
  particularly in computing should be a solution
  or improvement with commercial potential
• Why not sell this invention?
• Probably the hardest method of technology
  transfer
• Potentially the most profitable for both
  university and company

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Barriers and Gaps
There are obvious gaps between the academic world
and the industrial one

• Lack of understanding on both sides
• Different languages spoken
• Difficulty in making the right contacts
• Sometimes an issue of trust
• Difference of ideals

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Barriers and Gaps
Ironically, there seem to be more barriers
created by the two parties than there are gaps
between them

• Lack of incentives to academic staff
• Overly high expectations on both sides
• Drawn out legal process and IPR wrangles
• Lack of project management

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Universities are Not Companies

• Market research
• Product design
• Technology solutions
• Product development
• Marketing
• Sales and distribution
• Support

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Options for the Inventor

• Start a company
• A certain level of risk
• Large capital requirement
• Potential for great rewards
• Many, however, fail
• Licence the invention to an existing company

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What is INCITE?
The Institute for Neuronal and Computational
Intelligence and Technology

• Set up by Universities of Stirling, Edinburgh and
  Paisley
• Has both research and commercial remit
• The commercial activity that of promoting
  Computational Intelligence techniques is
  carried out by Incite Technology Ltd.

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Incite Technology Ltd

• Acts as an agent for universities wishing to
  commercialise inventions in our field
  Computational Intelligence
• Takes on projects at a proof of concept stage and
  markets them to commercial firms
• Doesnt charge for its services directly, but
  takes a commission on anything that it sells
• Main goal is to licence existing IPR to companies
  who can exploit it

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How Does this Solve the Problems?
We bridge the gap by

• Providing an interface between the inventor and
  industry
• Providing an understanding of both commercial
  needs and academic constraints
• Building the right contacts in universities and
  in industry

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How Does this Solve the Problems?
We overcome the barriers by

• Freeing the inventor to continue with research
  and teaching while we sell the invention
• Managing the promotion and exploitation of an
  invention through the life of the project

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Joining INCITE

• If you would like to use the services of
• INCITE, you can join by either
• Going to the web site at www.incite.org.uk
• or
• Giving me a card here today
• Membership is free