A Deloitte and Politecnico di Milano study highlights the challenges of the Italian Technology Transfer Office and the need to adopt a more competitive model to close the gap with leading European countries in innovation.
Italy leads Europe in the conversion rate of applications into patents and ranks third in terms of Research and Development (R&D) investments, but needs to improve in technology transfer. This is the central theme of a paper realised by Deloitte and Politecnico di Milano, presented during an event at the Politecnico, entitled ‘The role and functioning of European Technology Transfer Offices’ presented these days at the Politecnico. The research, part of the MUSA project funded by the Ministry of University and Research through the PNRR, analyses the functioning of European Technology Transfer Offices (TTO), highlighting the need for Italy to strengthen its TTO model.
According to Gabriele Secol of Deloitte, ‘Starting from the description of the Technology Transfer (TT) landscape and of the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) operating modes, the research aims at formulating initial insights and considerations to enhance the impact and effectiveness of Italian TTOs in facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technologies from the academic to the productive context’. And again: ‘Although Italy has all the prerequisites to excel, our research shows that there is still an important gap with the leading European countries in technology transfer. But the challenge of innovation is crucial for our country and for the whole of Europe: this is why we must work together to improve our technology transfer model and make it competitive in the global scenario’.
Marco Bocciolone, of the Milan Polytechnic, reiterates that a systemic vision that favours Open Innovation, clear governance and an incentive model are needed to transform academic innovation into economic growth. ‘Technology transfer represents a strategic challenge for our country. At the Politecnico di Milano, our Technology Transfer Office supports researchers in the protection and valorisation of their inventions, fostering collaboration with industry,’ he says. Professor Salvatore Torrisi, MUSA’s scientific coordinator, also highlights the importance of effectively connecting research and business to close the gap with the most advanced countries in Europe.
The European Union is third in the world in terms of R&D investment, behind the United States and China, but first in terms of the number of patents granted. However, inequalities between countries remain within the EU. Italy is classified as a ‘Moderate Innovator’, an improvement on previous years, but with the need to increase graduates and investments in venture capital and R&D, as well as to overcome regional differences.
In order to improve the Italian technology transfer model, it is necessary to develop more structured programmes, define clear governance, incentivise and train staff, adopt KPIs to monitor progress, and foster synergic collaboration between academia, institutions and companies. One possible solution is the creation of a non-profit organisation for the management of technology transfer and third mission activities, aimed at maximising the potential of scientific discoveries and transforming them into social and economic benefits.
To view the paper on ‘The role and functioning of Technology Transfer Offices Europe’ simply click on the link below:
MUSA (Spoke 3) – Deloitte_Paper TTO universitari_Digital_V4
