www.FITT-for-Innovation.eu

1. Technology Transfer Guide for Research
Teams
FITT
– Fostering Interregional Exchange in ICT Technology Transfer –
www.FITT-for-Innovation.eu
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

2. Transfer awareness actions
 Measures to increase transfer awareness among researchers
 Designed and implemented recently by common efforts of technology transfer
and communication officers
 Two complementary elements:
 Technology transfer guide for research teams – published in the format
of Q&A: answers to the fundamental questions that a researcher can ask about
transfer
 Innovation Meetings – series of regional events based on presentation
of “success stories” and interactive sessions between researchers and TT officers
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3. Technology transfer guide for research teams
 Paper publication: Guidelines for Technology Transfer addressed to the
Research Teams
 Bilingual: French – English (multinational research teams)
 Presented in the compact form of questions and answers, with concrete
examples
 Covering the most common problems encountered by researchers and
information they need to get involved in transfer activities
 Drafted and designed by a team composed of TT officers and communication
officers of INRIA headquarters
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4. TT guide for research teams
 Sections:
 Research – industry relations
 Support available from TT office
 Managing intellectual property
Source: ‘Guidelines for Technology Transfer Addressed to Research Teams’, INRIA
 Collaborative projects involving industrial partners
 Contact persons
Source: ‘Guidelines for Technology Transfer Addressed to Research Teams’, INRIA
Source: ‘Guidelines for Technology Transfer Addressed to Research Teams’, INRIA
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5. TT guide for research teams
 Dissemination:
 Paper version only:
- privileges direct contact and exchange (“hand to hand” distribution)
- avoids getting lost in the overloaded intranet
 Printed guides are distributed among TT officers – to be used as a support in the
discussion, explanation, handed out to researchers for additional information
 Up to the TT officer to find opportunities to distribute it
 Handed out to researchers during talks with TT officers at Innovation Meetings
 No general distribution – except during the welcome days for newcomers
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6. When?
 Edition of the guide was finished in October 2010
 It was printed and distributed to INRIA TT offices at the end of the year
 It is supposed to be used continuously, in particular during events as
Innovation Mornings and welcome day for newcomers
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7. Who?
 Stakeholders
 INRIA headquarters:
- Transfer and Innovation Department
- Communication Department
 TT and Communication officers in INRIA regional centres
 Researchers, in particular young or newcomers
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8. Where?
 Technology transfer guide
 Disseminated both at the headquarters and in the regional centres
 Disseminated during events and during informal meetings between
TT officers and researchers, according to their working routine
Source: ‘Guidelines for Technology Transfer Addressed to Research Teams’, INRIA
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9. Pros & Cons
PROs CONs
 A set of basic information and contacts  Due to the distribution channels,
for researchers, a practical tool for TT some of the researchers may never
officers get the guide
 Natural selection of readers – only the  Can be perceived as pushy towards
interested ones: technology transfer
- Who have received it during TT
related events
- Who have received it from a TT
officer on the occasion of TT
related discussion
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10. Why ?
 Rationale:
 Re-thinking the general measures for internal communication and
awareness creation
 The idea was to have a comprehensive measure/programme including
a tool (paper guide) and a cycle of events (Innovation Meetings)
 It was essential to reach young researchers and newcomers, usually
more open to transfer issues and curious about how the institute works
 No “preaching”, but encouraging and supporting the interested ones
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11. Why ?
 Impact:
 INRIA’s experience in approaching researchers shows that:
- Young researchers are more flexible and can easier accept some new
ways of thinking and doing, while experienced researchers rarely
change their old habits
- It is important to choose well the target group; different types of
researchers exist and addressing all of them by the same measure is
less efficient
- There is a need of more focused actions instead of generalised ones,
even if they are going to reach fewer people
 This approach is more about creating opportunities for interaction and
facilitating the first steps of researchers towards transfer initiatives
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12. Outcome
 Both the guide and the regional events are quite recent and more
time is needed to get a complete feedback
 It has been well received by all stakeholders so far
 The real outcome in terms of raising awareness on technology
transfer among researchers will only be possible to observe in the
long term
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13. Outcome
 Plans for the future:
 300 copies of the guide have been distributed in each regional centre
 It is going to be used by TT officers during the events and at all
convenient occasions
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14. Lessons Learned
 While preparing the content of the guide, TT officers must consider their
field experience: what is the information that researchers most often miss
or search for?
 It is important that TT and communication offices collaborate in order to
produce a professional communication tool.
 At INRIA we have chosen a light and compact format for the guide: the
basic facts and explanations, completed with tips where to find more
information and support. We believe that this ensures its wider use
among researchers.
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15. Suggested Readings
 Link to bibliography
 Link to code book
Awareness, communication, people, researcher, technology transfer
office
 Link to relevant websites
INRIA’s Transfer and Innovation Department website:
http://en.inria.fr/innovation/partnerships-transfer-of-technology
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