Basics

Why is technology transfer important?
What's the support offered by Unitectra to the researchers?
What kind of research results can be commercially exploited?
How is the commercial exploitation of scientific results achieved?

Why is technology transfer important?

Universities play an important role in our society by forming a highly qualified next generation. The fundamental research carried out at universities produces new scientific knowledge and guarantees a continuous innovation process which is of high importance to our economy. Often new knowledge is created in collaboration with other public research institutions or the private sector.

Universities are responsible for making new scientific knowledge available to society and are therefore interested in a partnership with the private sector. With this in mind the Universities of Berne and Zurich have jointly set up the technology transfer organization called Unitect

Unitectra supports the university employees in the commercial exploitation of research results (e.g. commercialization strategy, patenting), in negotiating contracts with the private sector and in the founding of spin off companies. Unitectra takes care that the liberty of research and the scientific independence of the reseachers are maintained in all cases.

What kind of research results can be commercially exploited?

Anything that satisfies customer needs has a potential market and can therefore be commercially exploited. Results achieved at university level can form the basis for the development of a final product. The industry partner usually takes over the development part of the project. Newly discovered or newly made substances, novel technologies or any improvement of an existing product could be interesting for economic applications.

How is the commercial exploitation of scientific results achieved?

Inventions of commercial interest, technologies, products, etc. are either licensed to existing companies or are the possible basis of an university spin-off company. The industry partner develops the products to a marketing level and is responsible for all commercialization. During development research collaborations between the company and the university partner are often established.