Looking West: University-Industry partnership at the Edge of Europe

Patrick V. Kelly, B.A.(Mod.), Ph.D., MInstP

Commercialisation Executive – Physical Sciences and Photonics

Ignite Technology Transfer Office

National University of Ireland, Galway (a NASC partner)

Title:Workshop 08A29 - University and Industry at workOrganisers:University-Industry: a key link towards regional growthCode:08A29: Theme A - Innovating regions: Promoting research, technological development and innovation

West Ireland - Living at the Edge of Europe

Peripheral locations create own advantages• West Ireland civilised society has

flourished for at least 5500 years (Europe’s oldest enclosed farm)

• Region devastated by Famine 1845-1851 and emigration

• Marconi radio station at Clifden 1907-1926 was the hub for European telecommunications to North America

• First transatlantic flight to Europe landed Clifden, 1919

• Drive to industrial development since 1958 – 450% growth in Galway City population

• Mace Head Atmospheric Physics station (1958) is key global link in climate change research

• Galway is nearest Northern European City to North America

• Large number of high tech start-ups through the West of Ireland

NASC – West Ireland’s link to Europe- based on 5 Irish-speaking counties

 

Cork County Council

 

Donegal County Council

 

Galway City Council

 

Galway County Council

 

Kerry County Council

 

Mayo County Council

 

The National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway)

 

Údarás na Gaeltachta

 

West Regional Authority

Galway – A vibrant knowledge economy city• University (NUI Galway) 1845• Institute of Technology 1969• Global Medical Device Industry centre • Mix of Multinational Companies and Irish Start-Up

Companies• 1946 Population 16,000• 2006 Population 72,729 • 6th largest city in Ireland• Population anchor for the Connacht/West region

• First University in Ireland with full service technology transfer office and business innovation centre (1984)

• Most successful technology transfer office in Ireland at the hub of the NASC region

NUI Galway Research Priorities build on strengths of university, region, industry

Thematic PrioritiesThematic Priorities

Biomedical Science and Engineering

Biomedical Science and Engineering

Environment, Marine and Energy

Environment, Marine and Energy

Applied Social Sciences & Public

Policy

Applied Social Sciences & Public

Policy

Informatics, Physical & Computational

Sciences

Informatics, Physical & Computational

Sciences

Humanities in Context

Humanities in Context

Fundamental/Theoretical

Continuum of Research Activities

AppliedCross-thematic

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Ignite Technology Transfer NUI Galway - one of the most active TTOs in Ireland….. Why?

• Expertise in protection and exploitation of IP• Promotion of technology developments• Strong supports for inventors, entrepreneurs, campus companies• Campus Entrepreneurial training programmes in place• Successful spin-outs from NUI Galway research programmes• Innovation Centre with incubation and wet laboratory facilities

housing 26 companies• TTI programme facilitates industry innovation partnership projects• High level of Research Income annually• Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Specialists are embedded in

the regional University TTOs– ICT, BIO, Industrial Technologies specialists– Assigned to a number of institutions – based in one, e.g. NUI Galway

ignite Technology Transfer NUI GalwayDr. John Kavanagh

DirectorIgnite

Technology Transfer

Dr Maura Glennon Commercialisation

Specialist(EI)Bio/Life Sciences

Dr Jacinta ThorntonCommercialisation

ExecutiveBio/Life Sciences

Dr James WalshCommercialisation

Specialist(EI) Bio/Life Sciences

Patricia WalshExecutive

AdministrationHead

FacilityManager

(TBA)

Ann ByrneAdministrative

Assistant

Dr. Ruairi FrielCommercialisation

ExecutiveBio/Life Sciences

Dr Neil FergusonCommercialisation

ExecutiveICT/Engineering

Dr Pat KellyCommercialisation

ExecutivePhysical Sciences

John McGuireCommercialisation

ExecutiveICT

Dr Paul ButlerCommercialisation

Specialist (EI)Industrial Products

IP Specialist(TBA)

Fiona NearyBusiness

DevelopmentManager

Niamh CorcoranTTI

Outreach ProgramManager

Michelle BradleyTTI Project Executive

Hughie McCormackTTI Project Executive

Clodagh BarryCCP/SUS

Program Manager

ICT/Eng/Phys. Sci.Industrial

Products Team

BioTechTeam

Business Development /

OutreachTeam

© National University of Ireland, Galway, 2008

TTO 2007 highlights• 24 License agreements signed• 4 spin-outs• Over €2.5m License income generated• 4 out of 8 EI annual Industrial awards• 30 Invention disclosures• 95 NDA’s & 35 MTA’s signed• 30+ Innovation Partnership projects approved (€2.3m

generated)• Initiated new TTO training programmes

Innovation Vouchers and Partnerships

• Innovation Voucher – – introductory “free pass” to pay for short loop research project in the

University for small companies

– National voucher €5k; BMW region voucher €15k

– Brings non-innovating industry to the university

• Innovation Partnership (Enterprise Ireland part-funded)– Most successful programme to link university and industry

– Public-private partnership – driven by industry (i.e. market) need

– Up to 80% funding depending on size of company and type of project and collaborative nature of project (15% bonus)

– Up to 250k€ project over 12-18 months; larger in some cases

– University owns IP; Company gets option to licence the IP

– Compliant with EU State Aid Rules

– NUI Galway does over 30 such projects every year

An environment which promotes Entrepreneurialism & Innovation and enhances spin out formation and new business growth

What’s available ? - Facilities & Services 25 Incubation units ranging in size from 300 – 750sq. Feet6 Bio-Incubator laboratories or ‘wet-lab’ space along with a core lab Serviced office facilities including bband, line rental, conferencing, meeting rooms.Access to resources such as labs, testing, specialised equipment, expertise, Very competitive ratesHot Desk facility for short term rentalSupport structures in place to assist in the development of your company

WE ARE FULL – NEW PLANS UNDERWAY FOR EXTENSION!!!!

NUI Galway Business Innovation Centre

It isn’t all about start-ups!• Technology transfer models

– The start-up company– Incubation – may produce start-up or may divert to licence– Licensing of technology to larger company– Provision of commercial research services– Transfer of competent educated researchers to industry

• Start-ups may not produce the large industry cluster– The start-up is not for every researcher– For the investors, the company is the product to be sold!– Many start-ups sold off by investors are often exported

• Genuine R&D operations of multinationals are needed– “R” as well as “D”– University as the “R” of the industry R&D function– Relationship building with existing and potential industries

Embedding R&D in the West of Ireland• Ireland needs genuine R&D functions to embed here• Far too much core R&D is kept in at mother plant• We need a strategy to prise out that R&D

• The “foot in the door” strategy– Offer skilled researchers who won’t relocate out of Ireland– Offer solutions to known problems– Make yourself needed

• The “licence” strategy– Make yourself their R&D department by stealth

Regional Initiatives in the West of Ireland• Border, Midlands and Western Regional Authority

– Covers entire area of Connacht, NW Leinster, SW Ulster• Western Development Commission

– Province of Connacht plus counties Clare and Donegal• West Regional Authority

– Counties of Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, City of Galway• LookWest.ie

– Promoting Relocation to the Province of Connacht• County and City Enterprise Boards (6 in Connacht, 3 in SW Ulster)• Atlantic University Alliance Technology Transfer Initiative (to 2008)

– Galway-Limerick-Cork “Atlantic Corridor”• Údarás na Gaeltachta (= “The Irish-speaking-region Authority”)

– Irish speaking regions nationwide, but mostly on the west coast• NASC (=“Link”)

– Direct regional representation of the West of Ireland in Brussels– Special focus on counties with an Irish-speaking area (“Gaeltacht”)– Counties of Cork, Kerry, Galway, Mayo and Donegal, City of Galway, National

University of Ireland Galway, plus other Gaeltacht areas

Academics + Business Experts = CompaniesTechnologist

It’s a nice place to live and work…

Quality of Life Luring Professionals West96% of those who have relocated would recommend the move

The results of the fourth annual Collins McNicholas re-location survey released today(Tuesday 16th September 2008) shows that 96% of professionals who recently relocated to theWest, North West or Midlands regions would recommend such a move to others.

MAIN FINDINGS• Overall, 96% of respondents would recommend relocating to the regions.• 85% of people’s work-life balance improved since they relocated.• 86% of respondents now commute to and from work in less than 40 minutes.• 74% of respondents received increase or similar remuneration package when they relocated.• 65% of respondents said lower property prices were a factor in their decision to relocate.• 84% of respondents were educated to Degree level or higher.• 49% of professionals surveyed relocated from outside of Ireland.• A more relaxed atmosphere, safer environment and less traffic were the top threeattractions expressed by people surveyed subsequent to relocating.• Medical Devices (17%), Pharmaceutical (16%), Manufacturing (14%) and Engineering (13%)were the most popular sectors of employment for those who relocated.

Measures of success

• An accepted technology transfer culture on campus• Satisfied, professionally fulfilled and well-rewarded researchers • Delighted industrial licensees who want to locate nearby• New companies – both high potential and steady growth types• A university respected for its technological innovation• Regional economic growth and leadership in niche strengths• Sustainable population growth in region