This technology transfer course will give you a flavour of:

How to find out if patents exist around your new findings and how to protect your invention?
What steps are necessary to commercialize your work?
What does it take to set up a spin-off company?
Different ways of turning your research into value for society.

Supported by speakers from companies and investment firms, VIB’s Innovation & Business Team will go into detail on real life valorisation approaches. We will discuss the basics of Intellectual Property Rights, including a hands-on patent search on your favourite topic. We will go through term sheets and contracts that shape the framework of industrial collaborations and investments. We will have a lively case study to highlight the potentially complex relationships between scientist, valorisation manager, and company representative. On top of that, you will be introduced to the various stages of setting up a start-up company.

We warmly invite participants to submit a short abstract on a potential business idea prior to the start of the course, so we can select a number of topics for the Newco pitching exercise which will be held in small teams. We will invite you to submit your abstract in the course of June, after you received more information on the requirements for your abstract via email.