Regional Open Innovation Forum (OIF) on Promoting Nanotechnology and Agriculture for Sustainable Development, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct.

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Geraldine Terry
6 years ago
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Campus Regional Open Innovation Forum (OIF) on Promoting Nanotechnology and

1 Managing Open Innovation in Academic / Research Institutes: Ideas gleaned from the cases of IISc-SID, India and University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus Regional Open Innovation Forum (OIF) on Promoting Nanotechnology and Agriculture for Sustainable Development, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct

2 Objective and Agenda The main aim was to look at Open Innovation approach in academic / research organisations. Case of an Indian Research Institute Initial Experiences of OI Formalising OI mechanisms Society for Innovation and Development (SID) Two Cases of Collaboration Case of a UK University s Branch campus So What 2

3 IISc - Bangalore The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was conceived as a 'Research Institute' or 'University of Research' by J.N. Tata Initial conception in 1896 was born on May 27, Started with 400 acres land donated by King of Mysore only two departments: General and Applied Chemistry and Electro- Technology Today has about 35 departments and about 450 Faculty members, Masters and PhD students Great names in the field of research in India, like C. V. Raman, Nobel prize winner in Physics and Homi Bhaba, the founder of the Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Satish Dhavan, S.N.R Rao have been a part of this institute. 3

4 Open Innovation at IISc A Case Study 4

5 The beginnings of OI IISc-Monsanto MOU The initiative came from Monsanto Model MOU with IISc-SID and Monsanto USA. On campus Laboratory run by the firm The agreement with Monsanto had been signed as part of the promotion of IISc-industry interaction to provide avenues for productive and use of technological and scientific discoveries at IISc 5

6 The beginnings of OI The IISc- Monsanto Leased the unused Int. Combustion Engg. Building Annual lease payments Invested in laboratory with State of Art Equipment Hired Direrctor from IISc Faculty (on Sabbatical) Hired a team of own Scientists Joint Research Projects with IISc Faculty IISc Students (PhD and Masters) could access the labs of Monsanto and /or conduct joint work with Monsanto Scientists. IP Management/Commercialisation not defined ( Unfortunately terminated 6

7 Unique Characteristics of IISc that have help in OI Cuttind Edge Research Eg new interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs in Mathematical Sciences, Chemical Biology, Earth System Science, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and Nanoengineering for Integrated Systems Committed to Socially Relevant Technologies and those of National importance Evident through the Centre for Sustainable Technologies (which works with a state /provincial government organisation) Faculty always worked on projects of national importance with government R&D organisations (eg. With Space Research Orgn, Defence Research Orgn. Etc) Several National Facilities located on campus faculty always have worked with other organisations to use these facilities Hence Faculty and Scientists have had experience in some form of Inter-organisational Networks 7

8 Current Organisational Set up for OI at IISc TO encourage interaction with society and industry there a few units that work together in close collaboration towards the development and implementation of innovation and the resultant IP that is generated. The Centre for Scientific and Industrial Consultancy (CSIC) deals with smaller projects Society for Innovation Development (SID) - deals with the larger umbrella projects IP Cell assists faculty in work related to IPR Centre for Continuing Education Office of the Technology Development Missions Center for Sponsored Schemes and Projects (CSSP) - deals with mostly the sponsorship issues. 8

9 Key Organisational units OI at IISc- CSIC The Centre for Scientific and Industrial Consultancy (CSIC) Established in 1975 deals with smaller projects at individual and consultancy levels. Responsibilities promote institute-industry relationships Provide interface through which industries and organizations can quickly and effectively gain access to expertise & facilities at IISc. promote the formation of a network of informal contacts between scientists and engineers of IISc and those in industry allowing for a flow of information and ideas. Since 2007, taken up the responsibility of placement of students graduating from the institute. 9

10 Main Institution for OI at IISc Society for Innovation and Development (SID) (SID) was founded in 1991 in close collaboration with IISc. The mission enable India's innovations in science and technology by creating a purposeful and effective channel to help and assist industries and business establishments to compete and prosper in the face of global competition, turbulent market conditions and fast moving technologies. 10

11 SID - Forms of Projects Based on the level of difficulty to manage resultant IP SID structures/accepts Projects in following three forms 1. Individual projects from individual companies making it comparatively easy to manage the other issues related to the legal rights including IP. 2. Multiple projects from a single company where it is easy or difficult depending on the size of the company in question and also spread of the projects along with their relation with one another. 3. Multiple firms trying to work in a single project. Investments could vary from funding the project to providing facilities decisions on what is every member s contribution is to the project at the beginning are segregated. Controlling the resultant IP Multiparty agreement required to govern such projects 11

12 Role of SID Facilitating Scientist Industry Linkages (Mathew and Madhavan, 2007) 12

13 Role of SID Scientist search for projects using their own network or linkages / through IISc s networks SID helps - helps manage / take care of administrative aspects of large multi-party projects govern the movement of the IP by linking concerned project members with IP Cell of the institute IP from IISc going into the collaborative project (inside out open innovation) IP from Industry coming into the collaborative project (outside in open innovation) 13

14 IISc SID Faculty Entrepreneurship Programme Supports startup initiatives by faculty Enables IISc faculty to explore their intellectual property in a business proposition, (those that provide support and employment to people, earn revenue and bring research closer to society's needs.) where faculty members participate by providing their intellectual property (not necessarily a patent, but knowledge) to run the start up company. Eg. Simputer is a product of this Faculty Entrepreneurship Program, with participation by the faculty of the Department of Computer Science and Automation. 14

15 FEP Felxibility FEP provides liberty / freedom to faculty /scientists tow work in these projects giving an open arena to use for their research. the firm can speak directly to an IISc scientist it they know them and include them in projects. Only when the possibility of a successful collaboration is identified, the scientist can bring the project to SID for further processing. 15

16 IISC Open Innovation - Cases of firms with Alternate OI Approaches and Challenges 16

17 IISc OI Collaboration with SME (BigTech Labs) 17

18 OI- IISc-SME- Case of BigTech Labs SME based in Bangalore with R&D located in the IISc premises Aims to provide solutions in the field of modern day medicine through Design, fabrication and testing of Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) Hand handheld electronics, genomics and proteomics, biology and chemistry Projects fully funded by firm fully controlled and commercialized by the firm Institute gets the revenue in the form of royalty for the commercialized products based on the generated IP Firm is able to control type of IP generated. When IP from IISc is to be commercialised Big-Tech Labs helps in production and commercialisation IPR is done through agreements SID helps Benefit for SME include IISc s IP, Human and other resources (labs and testing facilities) R&D Located in Campus provides research atmosphere Control over the project itself 18

19 IISc Collaboration with MNC (CISCO) Challenges perceived for OI Approach 19

20 IISc- MNC Collaboration A not so OI Model but has implications Cisco has two different ways of working Contracts with Research Institutions Specific Term of Research to be done provided Keeps the license of the generated IP for a decided period of time and then allows the institution to use the IP at its own liberty. Allocating the research activities as projects to the different institutions. Students work with their professors towards completion of this project. After project is completed, participating students are employed as permanent employees within Cisco itself. gives the firm complete control and liberty to use the IP generated out of the allocated project. 20

21 Challenges for IO Approach perceived by MNE Is moving towards to collaborative and IP sharing approach - but still locating in Research Institutes for advertisement for getting talent Feels Government Support there for setting up R&D but not for collaboration Differences in Scientist Mentality versus Corporate needs Scientists lack ability to advertise/ communicate their work/ip 21

22 New OI type Developments at University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus 22

23 A recent OI type organisation arrangements at UNMC Boustead Malaysia Research, Innovation and Development (MyRIAD) - MyRIAD Solutions Sdn Bhd UNMC Myresearch Sdn BhD is a fully owned subsidiary of The University of Nottingham in Malaysia. This arrangement supports both inside-out and outside-in 23

24 SO WHAT 24

25 Gleanings from cases for Manging OI with Academic /Research Institutes Development of Social Networks Eg. Leveraging and Developing Social Networks through Faculty former PhD Students relationships In IISc Centre for Continuing Education plays an important role scientists and industry people coming in for short courses Developing Trust with Firms involved in short term consultancies Informal (Social) Associations within the Institutes Role of Open Innovation Champion In UNMC s case provost is from biz school!! System for IP Management & Support 25

26 Gleanings from the Cases for Managing OI with Academic /Research Institutes Organisational arragements Structure to support Collaboration Creation of new division staff orgn unit with support from top SID Society for Innovation Development Center for Innovation in IISc and MyRes in UNMC Horizontal communication Linkages.. Culture getting governments to Investing in shared resources / facilities to get people from different organisations to work together Eg. testing laboratories / high cost equipment Create (by hiring and inculcating Change???) 26

27 Gleanings from case for Managing OI with Academic /Research Institutes Stakeholders Engagement Complex Government Institutions and their Agendas Anti-Science and Technology Groups (Case of Monsanto - genetically modified products) Need for Professional Communication Overcoming misinterpretations of these groups Helping Scientists to communicate to Industry* 27

28 Characteristics of organisations participating in OI There are some Institutional Characteristics that helped in Open Innovation to be possible at IISc Academic Institute Leader in Original Research Research based on Critical National Needs (Autonomy of research agenda or directed research agenda) Innovative / Open minded Faculty working with Industry? Large firms /MNC s Agenda for long term cutting edge basic research Seeing leadership position in its focus area of R&D Business Growth through global expansion Need for this attitude of organisations (Academic and others MNCs, SMEs, NGOs ) towards collaboration for OI 28

29 Role of Government in supporting OI Creation of the different elements of National / Regional Innovation System Creation of Technology Clusters In the case of IISc Bangalore Cluster Several R&D organisations, Large Public Sector Orgn s, recently MNCs and R&D units of MNCs In the case of UNMC Policy of double tax exemption given to university R&D units. At his point an interesting case in point is the MSc project Cyberjaya Cluster University MNCs relationships were organised 29

30 OI Elements for Research Institutes Government Support Policy, Resource (Shared) Develop NIS / RIS Academic/Research Entity OI Specific Unit* Top Support /Champion Organisation Structure And Culture Mechanisms for IP / IP Management Social Networks Stakeholder Engagement STPs Community Orgn s, Civic Society Orgn s / NGO Firm 1 Firm 2 30

31 Thank you APCTT and MOSTI for having me here Associate Professor and Deputy Dean (Business Engagement & External Relations) Nottingham University Business School (NUBS), University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus Jalan Broga Semenyih (Sl). Malaysia 31

32 To End Open Innovation is not about... but about open access to own technologies outsourced R&D strategic IPR management strategic R&D technology only technical invention appropriating value new ventures partnerships only both technology and business model commercial innovation win-win partnership core product development process innovation ecosystem building cutting research costs improving R&D Return on Investment Source: 32

Technology Transfer: Working with Industry at MIT. 10 February 2009 Kenneth A. Goldman Manager, Corporate Relations MIT Industrial Liaison Program

Technology Transfer: Working with Industry at MIT 10 February 2009 Kenneth A. Goldman Manager, Corporate Relations MIT Industrial Liaison Program Observations Innovation is key to economic growth; impact