Traditionally, technology transfer has been associated with the translation of academic research into the language of industry. However, in recent decades, a major transformation has taken place in the role universities play in research and development and entrepreneurship. This shift has called for a new multidisciplinary, holistic approach to innovation implementation. Rona Samler, General Manager of Technion Technology Transfer (T3) at the Technion R&D Foundation, offers a new perspective on technology transfer leadership and its impact.

Can you talk about this new era of technology transfer and the approaches that it calls for?
Once the main purpose of scientists was to do research, publish papers and teach. Today they are encouraged to work closely with businesses and boost their research and development (R&D) efforts. Industry representatives now often have a physical presence on campus, they hold study groups with researchers and students, and collaborate on projects. There is a consensus that this joining of forces leads to a burst of innovative creativity.

The quantum leap of the Technion’s scientific excellence and the groundbreaking technologies it has fostered, which have helped shape Israel’s national resilience in this century, are the major propelling forces that are the basis for the scientific and entrepreneurial ecosystem of the university. Such an ecosystem is contributing to the proximity between industry and academia, both in commercial and geographic terms.

To ensure in-depth collaboration and cross pollination with the industry, departments within campuses must work together to forge collaborations with businesspeople, while the scientific and entrepreneurial ecosystem within the academia must also provide guidance to its researchers who wish to pursue entrepreneurship and take their research to market.

How are these new developments changing the relationship between academia and entrepreneurship? What challenges remain?
There is a transformation in how we approach commercialization. Today, more and more academics are setting up enterprises based on future intellectual property (IP) rather than on existing patents. As a result, Technology Transfer Organizations (TTOs), searching for new profit-generating avenues, seek to tighten their partnerships with industry at the very initial phase of research. Simultaneously, academic institutions are churning out more and more companies that contribute to the ecosystem.

These new developments are paving the way for new models of cooperation with the industry, which require proactive approaches to campus education, academic research, and startup creation.

There are however challenges in the journey to successful technology transfer. Unfortunately, academia and industry still do not fully see each other as equal partners. For example, there are discrepancies in the industry’s perception of intellectual property (IP) ownership and the commercial considerations that need to be paid to the academia. At the same time, it is of great importance that both academia and industry fund basic research and preserve the freedom of researchers and their projects, regardless of the short-term considerations and profitability.

The last few years have been dedicated to restructuring T3 as a proactive business partner in fostering innovation, managing the Technion’s extensive patent portfolio, streamlining and strengthening commercialization

Even with these challenges, major inroads have been made, mainly because the Technion has made a great effort to create and maintain a supportive collaborative culture, which lies at the core of the productive relationship we are seeing between academia and entrepreneurship.”

What is your vision of cooperation between scientists and entrepreneurs within the Technion?
Taking the research and innovation produced by scientists and combining it with trained entrepreneurs and businesspeople is a crucial step in removing barriers to the transfer of knowledge.

Leveraging faculty training toward entrepreneurship and integrating industry leaders with the faculty staff will generate a better understanding of market needs and encourage the establishment of new ventures and startups. At the same time, faculty members will help build a solid foundation for the transfer of research to industrial settings.

Since you took office, T3 has undergone multiple changes leading to significant achievements. How is T3 embracing the new era for technology transfer?
The last few years have been dedicated to restructuring T3 as a proactive business partner in fostering innovation, managing the Technion’s extensive patent portfolio, streamlining and strengthening commercialization.

As part of this effort, we recruited a professional team of industry veterans and integrated advanced data systems to increase management efficiency and transparency. We also launched the T3 website as a business gateway to the Technion’s cutting-edge IP. Furthermore, to provide a full spectrum of new technologies and to further develop entrepreneurship on campus, we co-established the T-Start Accelerator, our startup accelerator program, and the NGT tech incubation initiative. These two programs are complementary to our existing DRIVE Accelerator, AMIT Healthcare Venture and The Technion Investment Opportunities Fund (TIOF), all of which support startups at different development stages.

T3 sets up some 15 new startups per year with more than 150 spinoffs valued at over $23 billion. The Technion was ranked first in Israel for the number of U.S. granted patents in 2021 and 2022

T3 sets up 15 new startups per year and we have more than 150 spinoffs valued at over $23 billion. We are also proud that the Technion was ranked first in Israel for the number of patents granted in the U.S. in 2021 and 2022.

The new era of technology transfer is leading to an unprecedented prosperity of the Technion entrepreneurial ecosystem. Looking to the future, technology transfer will continue to cross boundaries and create bridges between stakeholders and find new points of fruitful and beneficial convergence. What is clear is that industry and academia are mutually dependent when it comes to finding truly breakthrough technologies.