The document describes a technology transfer guide created by INRIA to raise awareness of technology transfer among researchers. The guide is presented in a question and answer format covering topics like industry relations, intellectual property, and contacts for support. It is distributed by technology transfer officers during events and meetings with researchers. The goal is to encourage interested researchers, especially young ones, in technology transfer activities by providing them with basic information and opportunities for interaction in a light, compact format.

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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