1. agency for Innovation
by Science and Technology

2. INNOVATION MANDATES: Funding programme for postdoctoral researchers
Friday, December 28, 2018
Els Tourwé

3. Overview Purpose General terms and conditions
Different types of IM-grants
Consortium
Budget and support
Intellectual property rights
Application
Evaluation
Timing

4. IWT postdoctoral mandates:purpose
Provide support to postdoctoral researchers who wish to undertake active efforts to achieve the effective transfer, the exploitation and the utilisation of their research findings, either through a close collaboration with an existing company, either directed towards the establishment of
a new spin-off company.
Main objectives of the research project are:
strategic basic research resulting in the applicability of the research results in the industry
the economical valorisation of research
niche between university research and research in industry;
strong input from the research institutes, but with a valorisation in business;
strategic basic research projects, characterized by a risk level which is still too high to be already carried out as an industrial R&D project.

5. General terms and conditions
Funding is granted on a project basis to individual researchers
Supported by one or more:
Scientific promotor(s):
- responsible for the scientific supervision (scientific quality and progress of the project)
Industrial mentor(s):
- involved in the strategic orientation of the project and guidance in valorisation aspects
- co-responsible for the financing in phase 2
The mandate holder is an employee of the knowlegde centre, with the option to become an employee of the company in a later phase (phase 2)

6. Different types of mandates
Particular form of project-based support within the
- SBO-funding programme
- Industrial R&D funding programme
Spin-off mandates:
- leading to the establishment of a spin-off company
- main target of this type of innovation mandates is research (and activities) directed towards the creation of a spin-off company with an industrial activity in Flanders
- prior to the application, consultation of the TechTransfer office of the university/research institute is required
- 100% support for maximum 2 years (mandate stops at the date of foundation of the company) - support to the research institute - mandate holder is employee of the knowledge centre

7. Different types of mandates
2) Cooperation with existing companies:
- with co-financing
- phased model
These innovation mandates may consist of 2 phases:
First phase:
Preliminary phase in which more research is performed to assess the applicability in a business context
all partners involved will define milestone(s), and the thereto related scientific objectives, which should be achieved before a transfer of results to the industry will be possible
maximum 12 months
100% support to the knowledge centre
Mandate holder is employee of the knowledge centre

8. Different types of mandates
2) Cooperation with existing companies:
Second phase:
Mandates starting with phase 1 shall proceed to phase 2 after
6 months or after 12 months at the latest
It is possible to start directly with phase 2, in particular when there is a clear one-to-one relationship with a company, and/or when the company considerably contributes its own knowledge/models/tools
The company is the applicant and is responsible for the strategic orientation of the research and for co-financing
50% or 60-70% (for SME’s) support to the company
Project duration of 24 months (or maximum 36 months)
Mandate holder is employee of the research institute or of the company

9. IWT-Innovation mandates
Switch from phase 1 to phase 2:
No discontinuity
No additional overhead
Evaluation of the project proposal:
advice by external experts about phase 1
advice by external experts about phase 2
By the end of phase 1: agreement between the knowledge centre and the company about the transfer of results
New decision of the Board of Directors and new funding agreement with the company

10. IWT-Innovation mandates
2-years mandates, maximum 3 years (with co-financing of a company)
Mandates with 2 phases can only be extended in phase 2 ( months)
The funding programme is open to all nationalities and all academic disciplines, to anyone who holds a doctorate diploma

11. Partners
Applicant:
1) spin-off mandate and phase 1: candidate mandate holder affiliated to a knowledge centre
2) phase 2: the company
Partners:
1) research institute + scientific promotor; company + industrial mentor
2) candidate mandate holder, research institute + scientific promotor; company appoints an industrial mentor.

12. Candidate mandate holder
The scheme is open to anyone who holds a doctoral diploma
In case the PhD defense is planned in the short term (within 6 months), we need a written declaration of the scientific promotor with the planned date of the PhD defense + no contra-indications
The same candidate can only be granted an innovation mandate once
A candidate can apply max. 2 times
A candidate may not apply at the same time for funding through another IWT funding programme

13. Company All companies with activities in the Flemish region
Sufficient added value for Flanders remains important and is an evaluation criterion
Commitment for the whole project period
Assignment of an industrial mentor
Cooperation between companies is possible
In phase 2, the company can be the employer of the mandate holder
See also:

14. Knowlegde centres cooperation agreement
Employer of the mandate holder (mostly)
Responsible for the scientific supervision
Publications/protection of knowledge e.g. by patent applications
cooperation agreement
interface offices
Spin-off mandates: prior consultation of the interface offices
Cooperation with different knowledge centres: good agreements are necessary

15. Budget
Basis = pay-roll of 1 postdoctoral researcher, according to the salary scales of the knowledge centre
Other costs =
(fixed costs + operating costs + equipment costs) = maximum euro/FTE per year
Overhead (max euro/FTE per year)
Operating costs (materials, licencies, travelling costs, …)
Depreciation of equipment (% occupation, depreciation period)
No fixed sum but a maximum (details)
Budget has to be discussed beforehand with the different partners

16. IWT-support IWT-support:
The funding is project-based, granted by IWT either to the knowledge centre, either to the company
IWT does not act as en employer, and is not responsible for the direct payment of the salary to the mandate holder
The funding is paid in instalments every six months, in the form of advance payments
The employer is responsible for the contractual aspects and reimbursements of the mandate holder
In phase 1 and for spin-off mandates: support = 100%
In phase 2:
Support of 50%, 60 or 70% for SME’s
10% extra support for well-balanced collaboration between several independent companies of which none of the companies contributes more than 70% of the cost, and at least one partner is an SME.

17. Intellectual property rights
Spin-off mandates and mandates in phase 1:
100% funding to the knowledge centre (SBO-Decree)
The companies only take on a coaching role and they do not acquire any rights to the research results;
In Phase 1, it is possible to agree on a “Right Of First Negotiation”
Upon transferring IPR to a company, the knowledge centre receives a fee in accordance with the market price for the transfer of intellectual property rights;
The company acting as an industrial mentor has no guarantee on the possible licensing/exploitation of the project results.

18. Intellectual property rights
If the company also contributes its own knowledge/ models/tools, an immediate start with Phase 2 is highly recommended
Mutual consent concerning the distribution of IPR:
1. Preference given to shared rights
2. Property rights to the results would belong to the knowledge centre
3. Company would acquire property rights on results with a specific target
Obviously, partners need to agree on acces to background knowledge

19. Submitting an application
Application forms (
3 different application forms:
Spin-off mandate
Phase 1, followed by phase 2
Directly start in phase 2
Appendices have to be submitted in a separate file:
Declaration of the candidate mandate holder (and of the company in phase 2)
Budget (dedicated excel-file)
Copy of the doctoral diploma
Signed declaration for cooperation
Term sheet/collaboration agreement (or with a commitment to provide these documents to IWT no later than 5th October 2015 )
(Company information – financial data)

20. Funding agreement Funding agreement
IWT-knowledge centre or IWT-company (phase 2)
The funding is paid in instalments every six months, in the form of advance payments.
Specific for one mandate holder (cannot change)
Mutual cooperation agreement
Company-knowledge centre(s)
Mutual payments
IPR & use of the results
The IWT-funding agreement can only be signed after the approval of the cooperation agreement

21. Start date Start date Retro-activity is possible:
At the latest, 6 months after the decision by the Board of Directors
Can only be started once the doctoral diploma has been obtained
Retro-activity is possible:
Earliest possible start date = 1st of the month following the deadline for submission
Period before the decision: at the risk of either the knowledge centre or the company
Only possible if the requirements are met, as well as all the conditions to carry out the research

22. Follow up Progress report every six months (for each payment)
Final report
Financial report at the end of the project: corresponding to the real costs and committed funding rate, last payment = accepted funding minus the instalments already paid
Changes within the scope of the innovation goal: OK

23. Deadline for submission:
2nd call in 2015
Deadline for submission:
September 7th, 2015 at noon
submit an electronic version to (or CD-rom)
2 separate files:
1 file with the application form (parts 1 – 4)
1 file with the signed declarations (appendices): budget, copy of doctoral diploma, declaration of cooperation, term sheet/ cooperation agreement, (financial data of the company).
The application will be checked for eligibility upon receipt (14 working days)
Oral defense: November, 2015
Decision: December 17th, 2015

24. Contact persons Programme: Els Tourwé (et@iwt.be)
Secretary: Ann Voets
Director: Maarten Sileghem
Questions: mail to

25. by Science and Technology
agency for Innovation
by Science and Technology
Koning Albert II-laan 35 b 16
B-1030 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)
Fax.: +32 (0)