This document discusses the evolution of research valorization efforts at the University of Pisa over time. It notes that in 2010, the focus was mainly on certification for technology transfer, but that the university introduced a PhD+ program to spread entrepreneurship among PhD students and postdocs. This program grew in popularity and led to several startups. Now, the university aims to create an innovation ecosystem through various support programs for spinning off companies and networking opportunities for students and faculty. The goal is to provide more opportunities for commercializing research.

1. Paolo Ferragina
Prorettore
Ricerca Applicata e Innovazione

2. Research and teaching are THE duties of every
Italian faculty.
The so called “third mission” (≈ research
valorization) is mainly perceived as a duty of
University as a whole!
This is also the “mood” of our PhD students, who
more and more often associate their research
activity with some teaching support, but not
look seriously to their “third mission”.
A PERSONAL CONSIDERATION

3. TTO
Faculty Departments
Some TT services (mainly about IP)
Spin-off Committee
Patent Committee
HOW IT WAS IN 2010
It was mainly a sort
of certification
authority !
Europe 2020 Strategy, Lisbon 2010
Entrepreneurship2020 Action Plan, 2013

4. IN 2010, WE INTRODUCED
whose main goal was to spread
the entrepreneurial mindset in
PhDs and postdocs
Research valorization
New ventures creation
via a light and optional series of seminars + training
activities, for exposing our young researchers to
basic skills and tools for:
Career empowering

5. THE 2015 EDITION 12 seminars in 6 weeks
18 speakers (worldwide)
100 Phd/students enrolled
MBA UniPI
startupper

6. >500 participants
(Phds, post-docs, master
students, researchers,…)
19Start-ups
26 business
projects
11university
spin-offs
37awards
530k€
total sales 2013
SOME FIGURES

7. AN INTERESTING SYNERGY
PhD
Office
Career
Service
TechTransf
Office
Got few
National and EU grants
for about 800k€

10. ENTERING THE EU ECO-SYSTEM
96/100
Top-1 in Erasmus+
Kw-Alliance call
[Partners: DK and UK]
Two main goals:
• Industrial networking
• EU mobility of start ups

11. TTO
SUPPORT
Students
PhDs
Faculty
Departments
Labs
TT Services (IP and BP and law issues)
Spin-off Committee
Patent Committee
Investors
Tuscan Innovation Districts
International Partnerships
Networking support
UNIPI - HOW IT IS NOW
newrules
for
our Spin-offs
Coaching & Mentoring
Prototyping & Testing
Hackathons & Innovation Days
MBA

12. Our results about spin-offs
• From 11° to 4°rank according to Netval
• 19 spin-offs (last 4 years), 23 spin-offs (prev 8 years)
• 49% founders are students in start-ups (prev 25%)
• 34% founders are women in start-ups (23% overall)
UNIPI IS NOW AN ECO-SYSTEM
Our goal is offering more and more opportunities to
PhDs and faculties for their research valorization !!
What’s next ?
- «Fiducia» on Italian Research [3° World, Elsevier/UK gov]
- More attention to PhD students [initiative iTalents CRUI/MIUR]
- A network of mentors to shape their young business (ie. «give back»)
- An (inter-)national platform of exchanges (Erasmus for «innovators»)

13. Website: http://www.unipi.it/phdplus
E-mail: phdplus@adm.unipi.it
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
PhD+ Unipi Unipi PhD-Plus
(> 800 members)
@PhDPlus

14. Elsevier for the UK government (2014)
How much productive we are ?

15. Elsevier for the UK government (2014)
How much effective are our publications?
#citations article/#avg citations