It was announced today that Enterprise Ireland has approved the third phase of its Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative (TTSI) which serves to bolster the capability within the knowledge transfer system in Ireland.
The programme, first introduced back in 2007 by Enterprise Ireland, is managed and administered by Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI). It allocates funding across eight consortia comprising 26 research performing organisations that include Universities, Institutes of Technology and state research bodies.
The programme provides funding to the technology transfer offices (TTOs) that support these institutions around the country and it catalyses development of the knowledge transfer profession and the work it does. In doing so, the programme acts as an accelerator for commercialisation of research that would not otherwise be possible.
This phase of the programme will see €34.5m invested over five years to further embed the transfer of knowledge from within the public research system to industry in Ireland and vice versa. It will also help sustain capacity to support the process of knowledge transfer and commercialisation of research from Irish research performing organisations (RPOs) around the country.
Phase three of the programme runs from 2017 – 2021 and provides sustainability for the technology transfer offices. It enables an interface of skilled and experienced people within RPOs whose job it is to work with industry. The TTOs support industry engagement across areas such as research collaboration, consultancy, licensing of new technologies and the creation of new spin-out companies.
The TTSI funding ensures the ongoing commercialisation of publicly funded research with a focus on quality over quantity, including the development of richer and more attractive industry-investor IP portfolios.
Commenting on the initiative, Enterprise Ireland Divisional Manager for Research & Innovation, Gearoid Mooney said, "Helping companies advance through research and innovation is fundamental to the support provided by Enterprise Ireland and Knowledge Transfer Ireland has been tasked with making it simple for such companies to engage and benefit from state funded research. Investing in the knowledge transfer infrastructure through technology transfer offices around the country is vital to progressing the commercialisation of research, job creation and economic prosperity."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
