"From lab to market: Strengthening the role of Technology Transfer Offices in bringing knowledge to the market" (HORIZON-EIE-2026-03-CONNECT-01)

Academic knowledge producing organisations (universities, research and higher education institutions and RTOs) are acting as innovation engines by fuelling startups and industries with new knowledge, technologies and skilled individuals. This potential can be nurtured with efficient intellectual management strategies and effective Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). However, Europe’s potential of research valorisation is underutilised. 

Currently, it is challenging for industrial actors to identify and access academic results that have potential for commercialisation. 

On the one hand, a relatively complex fragmented landscape of TTOs generates high transaction costs discouraging companies, especially startups from engaging in collaboration or accessing academic research for commercialisation. 

On the other hand, the lack of financial and non-financial incentives for academic researchers hampers their commitment. In many cases, researchers cannot fully appropriate royalties from the licensing of intellectual assets, and knowledge valorisation activities are not recognised for their career progression. 

In this regard, the Draghi report recommends European universities/RTOs to adopt a more coordinated, commercialisation minded, and startup friendly intellectual asset management approach. 

Participating beneficiaries should engage in the following activities: 

• adopting startup-friendly intellectual asset management strategies;
• accelerating the commercialisation of academic research results under fair and transparent conditions in an attractive way for innovative companies and investors, in particular for critical technology areas related to the EU’s economic security;
• reinforcing the adoption of best practices in intellectual asset management including the equitable sharing of value generated in R&I activities;
• improving the support to researchers and students in commercialising research results;
• enhancing intellectual asset management practices by establishing portfolio approaches to market intellectual assets in package deals;
• facilitating the collaboration between researchers, startups and innovative companies. 

Online Info Session

On 18 June, we organised an informative webinar about the call. In case you missed it, check the recording and presentation under this link.