EPO Technology Transfer Case Studies

The development of a long-term technology transfer strategy allowed the Technical University of Vienna to jointly build IP in additive manufacturing with its industry partner, Ivoclar. Balancing the allocation of usage rights by application field led to the commercialisation of the scientific research results by Ivoclar and the university`s two spin-offs, Lithoz and Cubicure.

A collaboration between a Politecnico di Milano research team and e-Novia, a company creator, led to the development of new technology for ABS control systems and the creation of a disruptive spin-off company Blubrake, with some of the inventors later becoming involved in the management of the company.

Spinning out from the Portuguese University of Coimbra proved to be the best way forward for Perceive3D to commercialise a promising technology in the medical imaging area. Due to the small size of the local market, broad patent protection proved crucial to both targeting international markets and securing continuous investment during the long development and approval phases leading up to commercialisation of the technology.

Encouraged by an IP-savvy university institute director with an entrepreneurial spirit and positive feedback from industry sponsors, a team of young researchers decided to bring their fibre optic measurement technology to market. Access to the university's patent portfolio and research facilities, together with the business experience acquired by one of the co-founders, paved the way to the creation of fos4X. The young company decided early on to focus on applications for wind turbines, and their patents turned out to be crucial in a market of mostly large players. The company was acquired in 2020 by PolyTech on the basis of its innovative technology and IP portfolio.