Artemis Saitakis

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Technology Transfer Schemes Examples from Crete

• Artemis Saitakis
• Managing Director
• Science Technology Park of Crete
• RIS FOCUS GROUP ACADEMIC BUSINESS LINKS
  INNOVATION CULTUR
• WORKSHOP, GDANSK, MAY 10-12, 2006

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CRETE Well know as a sea and sun destination,
for its history and culture BUT During the last
30 years A high number of HEIs were
established Univ. of Crete (1977), FORTH
(1983), Technical Univ. of Crete (1984), MAICh
(1985), Inst. Marine Biology of Crete (1987),
NIAR (4 Inst), Technological Educational
Institute (TEI) Crete has a very strong capacity
in RD It is among the 4 strongest
catching-up, institutionally thick Objective
1 regions (EU, Impact of Structural Funds,
1999)

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ACADEMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN CRETE

NMRC
FORTH
TU of C
UNIVERSITY OF CRETE
TEI of C
AGRIC RESEARCH CENTERS
30000 students
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• FORTH
• The Largest Research Organization
• in Greece
• www.forth.gr

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FORTH The largest Res. Organization in the
country (1000 employees) 7 Institutes Crete,
Patras, Ioannina (in the periphery of the
country) - Institute of Molecular Biology
Biotechnology - Institute of Electronic Structure
Laser - Institute of Computer Science -
Institute of Applied Mathematics - Institute of
Mediterranean Studies Institute of Chem.Eng.
High Temperature Processes Institute of
Biomedical Research 3 Science Parks (Crete,
Patras, Thessaloniki) HELP-FORWARD

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UNIVERSITY OF CRETE (www.uoc.gr) Established
1977, 8000 STUDENTS 5 SCHOOLS School of
Philosophy (Philology, Philosophy Social
Studies, History Archaeology) School of
Education (Pre-Primary, Primary Education) School
of Social Sciences (Economics, Psychology,
Sociology, Political Sciences) School of
Sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry,
Biology, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science,
Materials Science Technology) School of
Medicine Internationally recognized Dept of
Ophthalmology MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY OF
CRETE (www.nhmc.uoc.gr)

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• UNIVERSITY OF CRETE, DEPT. OF OPHTALMOLOGY,
• VEIC MEDICAL SERVICES
• Cornea Transplantation - Retina
• Refractive Surgery (LASIK) - Glaucoma and
  cataract
• - Low vision DPT - Development of medical
  instruments
• 
  Mini fellowships in refractive surgery
• International patents
• Innovative technology
• Spin-off activities
• Creation of a spin-off company, Eye surgery
  Equipment

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HELLENIC CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCHwww.hcmr.gr

• 5 Institutes
• Institute of Oceanography
• Institute of Aquaculture
• Institute of Biological resources
• Institute of Inland Waters
• Institute of Marine Biology Genetics

• Spin-off activities
• Creation of AquaBiotech SA
• (65 private funds, large Aquaculture
  companies)
• Development of Marine Technology Park
• 8 MEuro project, 50 private funds

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• FORTH s conception of the Park Late 80s
• Construction of the buildings 90s
• Managing Company Established Dec. 1993
• Mission(s)
• Make available FORTHs and other academic
  communities significant research deliverables for
  the development of the region and become the 3rd
  development pole next to agriculture and tourism
  
• Encourage companies to join the Park and become
  major vehicles of the Technology Transfer process
  
• Become a Center of Learning
• Contribute to regional development

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FRAME WORK FOR THE OPERATION OF SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY PARK OF CRETE

RESEARCH CENTRES UNIVERSITIES
TTC STEP-C
BANK PARK MGMT Co VC Company
INCUBATOR
STEP-C GRADUATES
LOCAL ENTERPRISES
TECHNOLOGICAL BASE AND RD SUPPORT
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• COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
• Natural beauty and culture
• Modern buildings and facilities to host
  technology companies
• (TECHNOLOGY INCUBATOR)
• Strong collaboration with HEI
• Geographical position (crossroad to Europe Asia
  Africa)
• High concentration of competencies in the areas
  of
• Microelectronics
• Polymers new materials
• Lasers applications to medicine, E.L.F.
• Medical equipment
• Information telecommunication technologies
• Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedicine
• Chemical engineering
• Applied computational mathematics

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• WORKABLE APPROACHE FOR THE EXPLOITATION OF
  RESEARCH RESULTS
• Due to the demand side limitations (small market,
  very traditional sectors)
• Promoting a niche approach in areas where
  competitive advantages exist
• Agrobiotechnology, DNA Chemistry/Biochemistry,
  Immunotherapeutics, Genetic Engineering, Health
  Telematics, Bioinformatics, ICT, Medical Optics
  and Instrumentation, Renewable Energy, Tourism

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• METHODOLOGY

1. Collaboration with the private sector for the
establishment of New Technology Based Firms 2.
Collaboration with VC firms for spin-off
financing 3. Institutional Enterprises
(FORTH Labs sell products and offer services to
the private and public sectors, e.g. DNA enzymes,
biotech products, laser applications) 4.
Establishment of New Technology Firms at
STEP-C 5. Licensing agreements 6. Support
students and researchers to start up new firms
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INCUBATOR

• More than 100 offices and flexible lab space
  (4000 sq.m)
• Financing EU, National Regional funds
• Incentives offered by FORTH
• Incentives offered by the National Government
• May 2006 25 tenants, gt600 new jobs created
• gt60 new companies

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• INCENTIVES OFFERED BY FORTH STEP-C
• LOW RENT Start-up 10 Euro/sq.m-month
• COMMON EXPENSES Cleaning of space, security,
  electricity, parking space, Network offered free
  of charge
• INTERNET SERVICES Free e-mail ?a? web hosting
• MEETING ROOMS Free of charge
• SECRETARIAT SUPPORT Use of fax, photocopy,
  collection and distribution of mail, switchboard
  etc
• SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY
• RESTAURANT

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• SERVICES OFFERED TO TENANTS
• ACADEMIC Links with academic and research labs
  , participation to research projects
• TECHNOLOGICAL Access to FORTH Institutes and
  to Technology Transfer mechanisms
• BUSINESS Business planning, market research,
  business development
• FINANCIAL Information and support to financial
  issues, links with business angels and financial
  organizations
• LEGAL Legal support, Intellectual Property
  Rights (Greek Patent Office
  Branch)

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SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES (1)

• FORTH Spin-off companies
• FORTHnet SA (Group of companies)
• First academic spin-off
• Est. 1995 by FORTH Minoan Lines SA, a
  Regional Shipping Company
• Most successful academic spin-off in Greece
• A group of 8 companies gt600 employees
• 2000 Athens stock exchange
• Today's Shareholders FORTH, NOVATOR
  Group Other Private Funds, Wide Public
• www.forthnet.gr

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SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES (2)

• FORTH Spin-off companies
• FORTH Photonics SA
• www.forth-photonics.gr
• Medical instruments (Imaging Diagnosis)
• Financed by VC, 2800000 1M PRAXE Progr.
• FORTH Photonics funded by the DTI/UK for Clinical
  Trials of Non-invasive Cervical Cancer diagnostic
  Device DySIS
• MAIN PRODUCTS
• DySIS Imaging Device for diagnosis and screening
  of cervical neoplasia
• MuSIS HS-MS (Non destructive analysis of art
  objects)
• (Getty Conservation Institute, British Library
  for use in the Codex Sinaiticus Digitisation,
  Featured in CNN, Article in the Economist (March
  23, 2005)
• Retina Imager

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SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES (3)

• FORTH Spin-off companies
• MINOS BIOSYSTEMS Plc (Transposon technology)
• Minos BioSystems has developed, with its academic
  collaborators, genetic tools using transposons
  and related gene transfer technology for diverse
  applications in the field of agriculture and
  healthcare including
• The company acquired rights to transposon
  technology developed in Foundation for Research
  and Technology Hellas and in Erasmus University,
  Rotterdam
• Financed by a Scottish VC company
• www.minosbiosystems.com

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SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES (4)
FORTH Spin-off companies

• FORTH med (Integrated Health Telematics Network)
  
• Virtual Electronic HealthCare Record (EHCR)
  enables autonomous healthcare facilities to
  operate in a cooperative working environment and
  apply continuity of care.
• Primary Health Care Center Information System
  (PHCCIS) implements a generic and broad-spectrum
  patient record to be used by General
  Practitioners.
• Pre-Hospital Health Emergency Management System
  (PHEMS) contributes to the development of an
  integrated regional telemedicine network
• Home care offer cost-effective care to patients
  at home
• (www.hygeianet.gr)

MAIN STAKEHOLDERS Region of Crete FORTH FORTHNET
OTE OANAK UNIV.of CRETE Healthcare Providers
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SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES (3)

• Companies established by Students Researchers
• INFOCHARTA LTD
• www.infocharta.gr
• VIRTUAL TRIP LTD
• www.v-trip.com
• CYTECH LTD
• www.cytech.gr
• NOVELTECH Ltd

Institutional Enterprises MINOTECH biotechnology
(www.minotech.gr) MICROCHEMISTRY IMMUNODIAGNOSTICS

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SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES (4)
Institutional Enterprises MINOTECH biotechnology
(www.minotech.gr) Production and distribution
of DNA/RNA enzymes Production of cellular
mass Protein purification services MICROCHEMISTRY
Production of custom oligonucleotides, DNA
sequencing IMMUNODIAGNOSTICS Kits for
diagnostics in plants and animal diseases
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• UNISTEP
• UNIversity Students Entrepreneurship Programme

2004-2005 20 projects Total budget 400000 10
in Chania (Technical University of Crete) 10 in
Heraklion (University of Crete 4 Science
Technology Park 6) (2 in the phase of
negotiations with VC)
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• UNISTEP METHODOLOGY

STUDENT/GROUP OF STUDENTS
IDEA
EVALUATION/SELECTION
Training
IMPLEMENTATION
4 courses Entrepreneurship Legal
issues/Admin. Business Planning Product
development

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• UNISTEP

Start-up INCUBATOR
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Information Tel.
2810 391908 saitakis_at_stepc.gr