From BIK to TIK by academic/industry networking: Activities of NMP Networks of Excellence Patrick Navard MINES Paristech/CNRS/Armines Centre de Mise en Forme des Matériaux – CEMEF Sophia Antipolis - France Coordinator of the NMP European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) Version 0.5

Outline I Innovation: a missing link between academic research and industrial exploitation IINMP Networks of Excellence approaches IIIConclusions

I Innovation: a missing link between academic research and industrial exploitation

What is innovation ? Innovation is the implementation of a new or significantly improved product (good or service), or process, a new marketing method, or a new organisational method in business practices, workplace organisation or external relation. Firms innovate to improve performances (new or better products, lower costs,..). Organising innovation is a pre-condition for technical innovation. We will focus here on R&D driven innovation coming from academic institutions but the approach is also valid for large companies active in different not-connected sectors.

The missing link between academia and industry Academic research More than 1.4 million researchers in EU-27 Study on mobility patterns and career paths of EU researchers 2010 Many tools to perform these tasks Legal Standardisation Technology transfer agencies Clusters Business nurseries Networks etc……

Proposal for two new notions Basic Innovative Knowledge (BIK) Transferable Innovative Knowledge (TIK) Basic Innovative Knowledge (BIK) Not simple research results Importance of novelty and breakthrough Can be fully or empirically understood BIK is what scientists are looking for. Basic Innovative Knowledge: three possibilities 1.Not identified or dormant. 2.Publication in the best possible journal 3.Can be transferred to industry as a Transferable Innovative Knowledge

Basic Innovative Knowledge (BIK) Transferable Innovative Knowledge (TIK) Basic Innovative Knowledge: three possibilities 1- Not identified or dormant. Very common 2- Publication in the best possible journal The most profitable attitude for a scientist. 3- Identified as potentially transferable to industry as a Transferable Innovative Knowledge Why to bother doing this?? Scientists are evaluated on their scientific performances: 1.Invitation as key-note lecturers 2.Number and quality of publications 3.« h » factor, number of citations, etc..

Basic Innovative Knowledge (BIK) Transferable Innovative Knowledge (TIK) Basic Innovative Knowledge: three possibilities 1- Not identified or dormant. Very common 2- Publication in the best possible journal The most profitable attitude for a scientist. 3- Identified as potentially transferable to industry as a Transferable Innovative Knowledge but why to bother doing this?? Scientists have no direct interest in transfering knowledge: 1.Time consuming 2.Patenting is complicated 3.No recognition by scientific community 4.Very low chance to earn money

Basic Innovative Knowledge (BIK) Transferable Innovative Knowledge (TIK) Basic Innovative Knowledge: three possibilities 1- Not identified or dormant. Very common 2- Publication in the best possible journal The most profitable attitude for a scientist. 3- Identified as potentially transferable to industry as a Transferable Innovative Knowledge Why to bother doing this?? How to help identifying it?

Transforming (BIK) into (TIK), where are the blocking points ? Dormant knowledge: to wake up dormant knowledge needs strong, close connection of the inventors or a given dormant knowledge with other stake holders able to identify its interest. Segmentation of research knowledge, lack of areas of trustiness are some factors hampering this wake up. Publications: No incentive to use this potentially Transferable Innovative Knowledge by lack of evaluation of the obstacles by political instances. Transferable Innovative Knowledge: all the legal, administrative and technical aspects are in place in most EU countries for favoring the transfer of a TIK to a company. What are the actions taken by NMP Networks of Excellence for helping innovation ?

IINMP Networks of Excellence approaches

Networks of Excellence FP6 instrument aimed at combating fragmentation in a certain area by integrating a critical mass of resources and expertise. Creation of more than one hundred of such Networks. A few networks manage to survive by creating a common structure (mainly of non-profit association type), durable and financially self-sustained. NMP EPNOE (polysaccharides) PI (piezoelectric materials) eCAM (catalysis and magnetic nanomaterials) KMM-VIN (knowledge-based multifunctional materials)

Activities of NMP Networks of Excellence Basic Innovative Knowledge: 1- Not identified or dormant. 2- Publication in the best possible journal 3- Identified as potentially transferable to industry as a Transferable Innovative Knowledge

Activities of NMP Networks of Excellence Basic Innovative Knowledge: 1- Not identified or dormant 2- Publication in the best possible journal 3- Identified as potentially transferable to industry as a Transferable Innovative Knowledge Strengthening of the area of trustiness Innovation correspondent in each partner’s institution Listing of knowledge and expertise seen as being without interest by authors “Brain-storming” and “waking up” sessions with academic and industrial specialists of specific areas

Activities of NMP Networks of Excellence Basic Innovative Knowledge: 1- Not identified or dormant 2- Publication in the best possible journal 3- Identified as potentially transferable to industry as a Transferable Innovative Knowledge NMP Networks of Expertise are used to work with industry (in 2009, EPNOE academic partners had 270 R&D projects with industry for a total budget > 26M€) But it is not changing the evaluation modes of scientists.

Activities of NMP Networks of Excellence Basic Innovative Knowledge: 1- Not identified or dormant 2- Publication in the best possible journal 3- Identified as potentially transferable to industry as a Transferable Innovative Knowledge - Breaking discipline barriers and expanding to new industrial sectors - Identifying industrial needs through surveys and visits to companies - Identification of European and International companies that might need specific service ( joint projects, consultancy for companies, focused training courses and dedicated workshops, patent and IP brokerage, valorisation of research results ) - Communication on available TIK present in the NoE - Organization of workshops - Common databases

IIIConclusions BIK to TIK Networks of Excellence are strongly engaged in innovation activities. They are novel organisation able to bring together academia and industry They are also active in other areas (basic research, education) NoE’s had to invent new ways and behaviour for organizing network activities in a sustainable, long term manner.

Centre de Mise en Forme des Matériaux