Expanded line up for ‘From Ideas to IPO’

Universities are the primary source of discovery and are playing an ever increasing role as economic engines through technology transfer and university spinouts. Growing a culture of “open” innovation by tapping into resources from the corporate community will further develop entrepreneurial ideas and promote economic innovation.  

This two-day conference will provide a platform to explore the role of research in innovation specifically from the European perspective. Plenary and parallel sessions, including case study presentations from both the US and Europe, will explore the challenges, risks and opportunities associated with researchers in science and technology who are interested in entrepreneurial ventures. Specific sessions will be dedicated research commercialization across disciplines related to Pharma, IT, and Clean-tech industries.

New additions to the program include Phil Smith (CEO, Cisco UK & Ireland and Chairman, UK Technology Strategy Board) and Amanda Brooks (Director, Innovation, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), UK).

Topics will include:

• Bringing research to the market: What are the steps to take when commercializing your research? How to identify and approach interested parties? What to include in the sales presentation and what happens after that?
• Best practices in technology transfer: What can be transferred? What is the process of technology transfer? How to identify which research has potential commercial interest? What are the best strategies to exploit a particular research?
• Collaborating with industry: Successful cases of research commercialization. Viewpoint from universities, investors, and companies: what are potential partners interested or not interested in?
• Intellectual Property Strategies: What are the issues that might take place when dealing with IP in collaborations, principally when shared IP ownership is suggested? Who should have the rights of the research: the researchers or the universities?
• License vs. Start-up: What are the risks and benefits?  What are the implications of filing a patent? 
• Investment Strategies:  How to raise capital in the current market? What are the alternative funding sources to overcome shortage of early-stage VCs?
• KPIs: What are standards key performance indicators in the market, who monitors them, why they are important?