Technology Transfer and
Entrepreneurship Office
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
Content
2014 at a glance ... 1
Rector’s Introduction ... 2
Review of the year 2014 ... 4
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) ... 6
Licencing deals and tech. transfer agreements ... 7
Project VT: technology transfer vehicles ...9
New bussiness creation ... 11
ARGOS: building entrepreneurs teams ... 13
Entities collaboration ... 14
The Emprendia Building: Innovation Ecosystem ... 15
AVTE Team 2014 ... 16
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
at a glance 2014
45 37
5
PATENT APPLICATIONS
21
PRIORITY PATENT APPLICATIONS24
INTERNATIONAL EXTENSIONS1
ST SPANISH UNIVERSITY IN PCT APPLICATIONS (2004-2011)23
GRANTED PATENTSDEALS
6
TRANSFER AGREEMENTS21
CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS10
MATERIAL TRANSFER AGREEMENTSPROJECT
TRANSFER VT
VEHICLES
210
REGISTERED RESULTS
16
INVESTOR MEETINGS
120
TRAINING HOURS
PROJECTS
8
PRESENTED IN COMPETITION
3
FINALISTS
SPIN-OFFs
SET UP
3
FORMATIVE ITINERARIES
5
COMPANIES QUALIFIED AS
EBT
1
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
Rector’s Introduction
The greatest challenge in the process of transferring research results from the university to the industry is to engage industrial and financial partners in the development of new products and services. It is about bridging the gap between knowledge resulting from a research project and the demonstration of its technical feasibility and economic potential.
In fact, on the agenda of the EU Horizon 2020 special importance is given to overcome the well-known “valley of death”, adding a scale of technology maturity (the “Technology Readiness Level”) to the scheme of financing R&D, and designing a wide range of programs that cover every stage to ensure that good science come to European citizens.
In this context, “CYD Report 2014” on Spanish universities performance, places the University of Santiago de Compostela in the 4th position in number of priority patent applications (in Spain), and the first in number of PCT applications. The fact that a university of such a size as the USC, with its geographical position and its profile, ranks in such a prominent position reflects a history of commitment to innovation and technology transfer, well above the average of Spanish universities.
However, the University of Santiago is aware of the need to go a step further in the process of technological maturity of the knowledge generated by its researchers and has opted for this strategy by creating their own “proof of concept” program, named “Transfer Accelerator”. USC also participates in a committed way in initiatives of other institutions (such as Barrie Foundation or Botín Foundation) that also make this approach possible.
The balance of the “Accelerator”, after two rounds of financing projects and only 3 years of operation, is positive: 12 new transfer processes were activated, 2 license agreements were signed with external firms, and 3 new spin-off were generated. In another 5 projects open negotiation processes are still in progress and only 2 cases have concluded with negative results.
Strengthening the program would be possible if, as in many other university environments around the world, both public administration and private foundations, and also businesses and individuals, contribute to finance this type of programs.
The greatest challenge is about brinding the gap between knowledge resulting from a research project and the demonstration of its techincal feasibility and economic potential.
“
2
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
At the same time, and in addition, AVTE is also working on the creation of technology-based companies as a way to address the gap between academic knowledge and the market. This approach makes possible to design a complete maturation process for technology, and also facilitates the uptake of funding. It also has an important social dimension, enabling the generation of high-quality employment and the creation of local industry.
In fact, a set of 32 companies created in USC research environment in the last 12 years, on combined action of AVTE and Uniemprende program, are employing more than 250 people and are billing more than 16 million euros (data SABI 2013).
Finally, I would like to reiterate my recognition to the work of the USC researchers involved in the processes of valorization and technology transfer, by dedicating time and effort to achieve social and economic impact of the science developed in this institution.
In this regard, I would also like to express the commitment of the entire governing team to support and contribute, through AVTE, to improvement and strengthening of the services that the University of Santiago makes available to their community, when transferring the knowledge generated to society, by protecting and subsequent license, either through the creation of an entrepreneurship.
Last I would encourage AVTE staff to remain committed in this challenge and get involved in the renewal of all those processes to improve the objective of increasing the social and economic impact of science.
Juan M. Viaño Rey, rector
1 The CYD Report is published each year by “Fundación Ciencia y Desarrollo” (Knowledge and Development Foundation). CYD Foundation was created late 2002. This report attempts to analyze, from the perspective of private enterprise, the contribution of universities to economic and social development in Spain
2 For the period 2000-2011, weighted by number of PDI (Teaching and Research staff)
3 The PCT indicator refers to the period 2004-2011 and is also weighted by number of PDI
4 PCT: Patent Cooperation Treaty. The PCT procedure starts the process of international patent extension preserving the date of the first application.
5 SABI: System Analysis of Iberian Balances. Database with full text online, containing information on over 850,000 Spanish companies
32 companies created in USC research environment in the last 12 years are employing more than 250 people and are billing more than 16 million euros.
“
3
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
In 2011 several policy changes (Sustainable Economy Act of March 4th, Law of Science, Technology and Innovation of June 1st and a reform of the LOU) occurred in Spain affected to the management of knowledge transfer processes in universities. Thus, 2014 could be defined at the University of Santiago de Compostela, as the consolidation year of new practices and settlement of management processes adapted to this new regulatory context.
On the other hand, in 2014 the occupation of the Edificio Emprendia reaches a level close to 75%, thus providing a critical mass to generate synergies and scale effects that benefit their users, and the University as a whole.
It should be highlighted that the base element around which this ecosystem of innovation turns is the new knowledge generated as a result of USC´s research activity. There are many reports warning about the continued decline in public budgets for R&D. In particular, the Confederación de Sociedades Científicas of Spain noticed that in 2014 the investment in science in Spain has gone back to 2005 level.
In 2014, the number of invention disclosures has experienced a worrying decline: from 56 last year to 42 in 2014. The decline may be the result of some pulsating trends of this indicator associated to approval- implementation cycles´ projects; but it could also be an effect due to the reduction of research resources allocated by governments. Nevertheless, the number of patent applications has been slightly increased, from 20 to 21 priority applications in Spain, and from 11 to 16 PCT applications.
The number of transfer contracts signed, compared to previous year, is maintained, and the spin-off has consolidated as transfer tool as 50% of the contracts has been signed with these kind of companies. The material transfer agreements (MTA) and confidentiality disclosure agreements (CDA) decrease from 47 to 31. This number reflects a decrease in the amount of open negotiation processes, which could be attributed to a recession on the knowledge market. Despite this situation, revenues from license agreements, with € 96,000, are kept in a discreet figure but are the second best result in the last six years. At this point a reflection should be made about the detected mismatches between the agreed conditions (payment terms, payment concepts, waiting periods, etc.), and the rate and amount of payments made by companies.
The continuous flow of spin-offs creation process in 2014 is reflected in the 5 companies submitted to the Governing Council and approved by the
Review of the year 2014
4
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
Social Council, the five established (2 approved in 2014 and 3 approved in 2013) and 5 companies qualified as Employment Initiatives of Technological Base (IEBT) by the Consellería de Traballo (4 established in 2014).
In the same line of “1st Managing Day” in 2013, in 2014 the exploration of new ways to support the economic and financial professionalization management of spin-offs has been emphasized. In addition to conducting workshops to attract managers, experiences of external management support have also been tested as well as active participation in manager selection processes for new businesses.The ARGOS program, in this 2nd edition of 2014, has enabled to work on the development of 5 new business projects and to train 35 potential entrepreneurs. ARGOS was selected as good practice in the TRANSBIO international project, in which the USC takes part.
In 2014 the collaboration with other organizations and entities in the field of transfer, valorization and entrepreneurship has continued. In this way, the participation in the program to support IEBTs of the Consellería de Traballo has been maintained as well as the participation in actions with other agents of the environment.
AVTE participation in cross-border cooperation projects, POCTEP, has allowed the USC to test, in collaboration with other partners, new experiences to support the transfer and entrepreneurship. In the VT project (New Transfer Vehicle), ended in 2014, USC worked together with TecMinho, Polytechnic Institute of Viana, and IGAPE. Also this year has started its activity the ACEINT project (International Business Accelerator ICT) in collaboration with IGAPE and BicMinho which has facilitated the launch of new actions to support innovation and entrepreneurship in this sector.
If a downward trend of some transfer indicators was perceived in 2013, in 2014 there are new alerts that should make us to reflect not only on the dynamics of the transfer processes, but the dependence on the expenditure on R&D activities. Nevertheless, as a whole, it has been possible to maintain a level of activity in the transfer and entrepreneurship that gives hope to overcome the crisis. In any case, the future will be increasingly conditioned by decisive actions that both from the public and private sectors, allow overcome this negative slope and undertake a process of growth of investment in R&D.
Isabel Rodríguez-Moldes Rey, Vice-Rector of Research and Innovation José Luis Villaverde Acuña, Director of the Technology Transfer and
Entrepreneurship Office
5
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
31% 33%
36%
Physics, engineering and ICT 13
Chemistry, pharmacy and pharmaceutical technology 14
Biotechnology and healthcare 15
42
Invention disclosures 2014
INVENTION DISCLOSURES
PRIORITY PATENT APPLICATIONS
INTERNATIONAL EXTENSIONS (PCT, USPTO, EPO)
COMPUTER PROGRAMS
47
24
16 52
56
20
8 20
42
21
9 24
2012 2013 2014
24
INTERNATIONAL PATENT EXTENSIONS
USPTO
2
EPO
6 16
PCTGRANTS
2 USPTO 3 EPO
INTERNATIONAL GRANTS
2 USPTO 3 EPO
PATENTS 18
GRANTED IN SPAIN
PCT Patent Cooperation Treaty EPO European Patent Office USPTO
United States Patent and Trademark Office
6
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
PATENT, TECHNOLOGY OR KNOWLEDGE LICENSES
RESEARCH RESULTS LICENCEE COMPANIES:
GENÓMICA S.A.
iGRAPE LABORATORY S.L.
SOFTWARE 4 SCIENCE DEVELOPMENT S.L.
TÉCNICAS ANALÍTICAS DE GALICIA S.L.
ALGENEX S.L.
AQUATEC S.A.U.
37
AGREEMENTS SIGNED WITH FIRMS IN 2014
6
TRANSFER AGREEMENTS
21
CDA (CONFIDENTIAL
DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS)
10
MTA (MATERIAL TRANSFER AGREEMENTS)
2º BEST
RESULT IN THE LAST 6 YEARS
2009
74 k € 62 k € 71 k € 148 k € 94 k € 96 k €
2011 2013
2010 2012 2014
Licencing deals and technology transfer agreements
Licensing Revenues
7
3
WITH SPIN-OFF´s
3
WITH OTHER
COMPANIES
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
BIOTECHNOLOGY AT THE SERVICE TO LIVESTOCK SECTOR
More than five years of research from the group directed by professors Jorge Blanco and Enrique González were needed to study the factors that make that some strains of Escherichia coli bacteria, causing the colibacillosis porcine, are more virulent than others. The result of this work allowed exploring, in 1992, the formulation of one vaccine, funded by PETRI programme (programme to stimulate the results of research transfer). Afterwards, the Reference Laboratory of E.Coli (LREC) of USC made an epidemiology study about the serotypes and developed the necessary antigens to prepare the definitive vaccine. After, were needed five years works from CZ Veterinaria S.A Company to complete the development of the industrial product and to get the vaccine register.
In 2006, the USC and the companies CZ Veterinaria S.A., responsible for industrial manufacturinh, and Farco Veterinaria S.A. , responsible for commercializing signed a license agreement to use the results.
Almost ten years after the start of the commercialisation, the vaccine has become a leader product in the treatment of colibacillosis porcine, being used by all big companies of porcine sector in Spain. This vaccine has managed to reduce the diarrhoea percentage and mortality rate, achieving a significantly decrease of the economic impact of these pathologies in the sector.
The LREC of USC continues cooperating with CZ Veterinaria S.A. in the development of new vaccines for porcine colibacillosis. Soon there will be in the market a next generation vaccine with protection against high virulence the clones prevalent nowadays in the world . This is the first vaccine against the neonatal diarrhoea and the pre- and post- weaning diarrhoea.
ELIMINATION OF MICROPOLLUTANTS IN
WASTEWATER: SMALL AMOUNTS, BIG EFFECTS
The presence of organic micropollutants in wastewater, such as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics waste, is a problem that in recent years has become important due to the impact that can provoke on living beings. Thus, it has been noted that some of these substances can alter the functions of endrocrine system and cause other adverse effects on organisms in the receiving environment of these discharges.
The USC Group of Environmental Engineering and Bioprocess has developed a new wastewater treatment process specifically suitable for eliminating this type of micropollutants (SeMPAC process), which has been led by professors Francisco Omil and Juan M. Lema. This technology has been protected by a Spanish patent and is being extended at European level..
This new technique has been licensed exclusively to the company Aquatec proyectos para el sector del agua, S.A., a company belonging to the group Suez Environnement, which in collaboration with VIAQUA and said research group at USC, have implemented the first prototype of the treatment plant at the University Hospital of Santiago (CHUS). It has been chosen this location to validate the technology because, although these micropollutants are present in urban wastewater, it was found that in certain currents, such as those in hospitals or in certain industrial facilities, may have higher concentrations. This proof of concept will allow analyzing the feasibility of implementing the system in new Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP).
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
PROJECT VT Technology Transfer Vehicles
TARGET
PROMOTE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND SOCIETY IN THE GALICIA - NORTH
PORTUGAL EUROREGION ,
THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSFER VEHICLES AND CONSOLIDATION OF
THOSE WHOSE SUCCESS HAS ALREADY BEEN TESTED
PARTNERS
UNIVERSITY OF SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA-AVTE GALICIAN UNIVERSITY-BUSINESS FOUNDATION-FEUGA
FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL QUALITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF GALICIA TECMINHO - UNIVERSITY-BUSINESS ASSOCIATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE OF VIANA DO CASTELO
POCTEP PROJECT
TRANSFER VEHICLES
(VT)
MOGUVAL
TOOL FOR THE ECONOMIC-FINANCIAL
EVALUATION OF TRANSFER PROJECTS
http://www.vtransfer.org/es
EXECUTION PERIOD
2012 JULY
JUNE TO
2014
9
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
PROJECT VT Technological Transfer Vehicles
RESULTS OF THE VT PROJECT
1 MAP
of R&D cross-border resources
3
TRAINING ROUTES
76
PARTICIPANTS
210
registered results (66 USC)
1 TOOL
for the economic-finantial evaluation of marketing research results projects, MOGUVAL (USC)
Knowledge transfer (Polytechnic
Intistute of Viana do Castelo)
1 REPORT OF
“Good practices for new technology based companies”
(USC)
Business management and management skills
(USC-AVTE)
R&D&i management
(FEUGA)
More than
400
professional users in
9 countries
10
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
New business creation
5 NEW
SPIN-OFFs SET UP IN
2014
16
MILLIONS OF EUROS IN
REVENUES
251 JOBS
USC SPIN-OFFs SHARE PORTFOLIO
5
BUSINESS QUALIFIED AS EBT
OF THE USC
* SABI data for 25 companies emerged in the USC research environment with more than 5 years of activity.
Social impact
Employment creation*
2002-2013
9
43 37 39
62
96
138
164 160 167
195
251
11
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
THE VALUE OF INNOVATION IN TRADITIONAL SECTORS
A new ultrafiltration technology developed in the “Aula de Productos Lácteos (APL)”
at USC was the basis for developing a new range of cream cheese based products.
This way Innolact, SL arises in 2006. With this new production technology, in addition to the use of functional high value raw materials and a high degree of automation, Innolact have been able to obtain new products, making a more efficient use of raw materials and reducing energy consumption.
Innolact has traveled throughout all the value chain of technology-based entrepreneurship. In 2006 it won the second prize of USC’s “Innovative Business Projects” contest. It also had the support of “Empresa Concepto” program for the development of its Business Plan, and received funds from Unirisco Galicia SCR and Xesgalicia SGECR. It currently has a workforce of over 40 employees, a turnover of more than 7 million euros per year and sells in more than 30 countries.
With its brand Quescrem, Innolact received in 2014 (for the second consecutive year) one of the prizes of International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) in Brussels, the only quality seal in flavor “that is awarded based on the opinion of chefs and sommeliers”.
CILENIS. RECONCILING HUMAN AND COMPUTER LANGUAGES
The Natural Language Processing, or NLP, combines computation techniques and linguistic skills to convert the huge flow of documental information available online in an efficient resource. Recent studies point that the market value of the NLP will reach 10,000 million dollars in 2018.
Cilenis arises in 2011 from the Spanish Language Department of the Philology School of the USC, and has developed language tools in the cloud that facilitate fast extraction of information, interpretation and analysis. In 2013 Cilenis was awarded with the honorable mention in the Start-ups Building Global Innovators Contest, organized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The renowned analyst and investor Marc Vidal of Idodi LABS, became a partner of the company in 2013.
Some of the different tools developed by Cilenis: Cilenis API, Linguakit and Avalingua.
The latter allows an evaluation of the linguistic skills in a particular language, which would simplify the exams correction.
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
BUSINESS ACCELERATOR
from USC
MULTIDISCIPLINARY
TEAMS
6000
EUROS IN PRIZES
5
BUSINESS PLANS
HELP
& MENTORING
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
& SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION
2 nd
EDITION OF THE PROGRAM
REGISTRATION
BUILDING TEAM
TRAINING
LEARNING BY DOING
SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION, LISTS,
USC NEWSPAPER
15
CLASSROOMS PRESENTATIONS38
REGISTERED OF 17 DEGREES (35% ADE)15
SELECTED PARTICIPANTS ARGOS SPIN:16
USCRESEARCH RESULTS ARGOS INGENUITY:
4
ORIGINAL IDEAS OF THE PARTICIPANTS3
CLASSROOM FORMATIVE SESSIONS1
EXTERIOR FORMATIVE SESSION32
PARTICIPANTS IN FORMATIVE ACTIONS2
USC SPIN-OFFs VISITSEMPRENDIA BUILDING CO-WORKING
4
BUSSINESS TUTORS +4
AVTE TUTORS13
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
71
ASSISTANTS
90
TRAINING HOURS
25
ASSISTANTS
30
TRAINING HOURS
Entities
Collaboration
ENTREPRENEURSHIP COURSE EOI
(SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIALORGANIZATION) FROM INDUSTRY, ENERGY
AND TOURISM MINISTRY (THREE EDITIONS:
2
IN SANTIAGO&
1
IN LUGO)AKADEMIA PROGRAM (BANKINTER INNOVATION FOUNDATION)
INTRODUCTION
TO TECHNOLOGY VIGILANCE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
TRAINING
IN
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ANDINNOVATION
MOOC
FROM VIRTUAL TRANSFER TECHNOLOGY OBSERVATORY (OVTT) OF UNIVERSITY OF ALICANTE
IN COLLABORATION WITH REDEMPRENDIA
MANAGING DAY
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NCG, NODO INVENTURES
Y VIAVIGO (4 PROJECTS)
BUSSINESS CONTACTS
BIOSPAIN 2014
(5 PROJECTS)
USC CASE STUDY
MORE THAN 650 VISUALIZATIONS
INVESTORS MEETINGS
EBT´s
CONSOLIDATION
EBT´s
COMPETITION
UNIRISCO 6 BIOINVESTORS DAY
(BIOGA) 4 BULLNET 2 GAIN/IGAPE 2
VIAVIGO 1 ZARPAMOS 3 Model2Market Competition (RedEmprendia)
3
projects submitted I Contest of EBTs Preincubator from Campus del Mar:2
winning projectsBioga Awards 2014
2
submitted projects;1
finalist Entrepreneur XXI: 1 submitted project14
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
The Emprendia Building:
Innovation Ecosystem
15
SUPPORT FOR USC SPIN-OFF LAUNCHING
75%
OCCUPANCY
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office
2014 REPORT
AVTE Team 2014
16
LUGO
CACTUS Building Campus de Lugo s/n 27002 Lugo
Lugo
Telephone: +34 982 822 850 Fax: +34 982 822 053 SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
EMPRENDIA Building Campus Vida s/n
15782 Santiago de Compostela A Coruña
Telephone: +34 881 815 576 Fax: +34 881 815 575 E-mail: [email protected]
