Knowledge and Technology Transfer

Knowledge transfer is a fundamental axis of CCIII. Activities developed by the UC3M Parque Científico (Science Park) in Leganes, such as physical infrastructure and the management and development of the following three projects, can be seen at this link. http://www.uc3m.es/ss/Satellite/UC3MInstitucional/en/PortadaMiniSiteA/1371207248804/Science_Park,

(i) Supporting entrepreneurs and business initiatives
(ii) Protecting research results and their commercial exploitation.
(iii) Boosting research and development and the creation of mixed research centers.

The UC3M Parque Científico (Science Park) currently has two buildings, phase one with an area of 2.000 m2 and phase two with an additional area of 2,549 m2

There are three main scientific-technological uses of the Parque Cientifico(Science Park)

• Uses directly related to research and technological innovation programs: Aerospace Engineering and technologies related to disability and dependence.
• A Business Incubator focused on knowledge and university technology.
• Services and management common to the Parque Cientifico(Science Park) and knowledge transfer.
   

Emprende en la UC3M (Start Up withUC3M) is the University’s business support and development program.

One of the highlights of this program is the development of activity in the UC3M Business Incubator as a centre to receive, advise and support entrepeneurs and their projects and ideas, which are assessed for their viability and in order to ascertain that their principals are in line with those of UC3M and that they are based on research results generated by CC3M.

The activity of the UC3M Business Incubator shows the level of growing interest within business development in the University community, originating from both the concerns and ideas of graduates and potential exploitation of technologies, methodologies and business models originationg from UC3M research projects. Businees projects at pre-incubation stage (defining the project) and at incubation stage (companies which have been set up and are growing) cover areas of activity as diverse as technologies to enhance audiovisual accessibility, applied industrial control systems for defense and aerospace, solar technology, decision making support and data evaluation systems, distance learning platforms and legal mediation programs; in other words, a wide range of disciplines and knowledge accumulated at the University.

Data for Evolution of the UC3M Incubator Portfolio of Business Projects in the Last Eight Years

The 2013 portfolio of business initiatives at different stages of development contains a total of fifty business projects and established companies and 26 business ideas with the following characteristics.

If we look at the link between these business projects and University activities, we should first take into consideration the process of attracting graduates and doctoral candidates through companies, and the volume of joint research and development projects carried out in collaboration with the University.

Employment generated by the member companies to Vivero_UC3M

Campus Carlos III has allowed the growth and expansion of the business start up program at UC3M, and the development of the UC3M active technology transfer strategy.

La Oficina de Protección de la Propiedad Industrial e Intelectual (IPR) (Office for the Protection of Industrial and Intellectual Property) aims to protect the identification of research results and their subsequent registration at national, European and global levels, and, of course their commercial exploitation. The CCIII works towards the promotion of the IPR Office with regard to three areas: a) improvement of the management of the IPR by means of the introduction of new IT tools; b) the creation of a Fund of Patents to cover the expenses relative to protection and licensing; c) implementation of evaluation mechanisms and commercialization of portfolio patents.

Accordingly, the ORION_UC3M tool which acts as a virtual showcase of protected technology at UC3M has been set up: http://portal.uc3m.es/portal/page/portal /investigacion/parque_cientifico/transferencia-tecnologica/oferta_tecnologica This tool is able to manage patents and registered software, expressions of interest and means of commerciaization.

The Fund of Patents allows international records to be to be set up and maintained and also the use of external drafting services and, occasionally, evaluation of UC3M technologies.

The IPR Portfolio at UC3M Comprised 76 Patents at 31/12/2013:

The IPR Portfolio at UC3M Comprised 48 Software Registrations at 31/12/2013:

The portfolio of patents and registered software experienced considerable growth between the years 2011 and 2012; however success in exploitation of technologies does not show such satisfactory results. This calls for the need to invest in evaluation, in order to detect appropriate licenses for clients and optimal market information in order to carry out licensing processes. The 2013 decrease reflects the difficulty of developing spin-offs and start-ups in the current economic climate: lack of credit, decreased orders and so on.