christoph adametz modernization of wbc universities through strengthening of structures and services...

Christoph AdametzModernization of WBC universities through strengthening of structures

and services for knowledge transfer, research and innovation

WBCInno7 Nov 2014

International Visibility and Networking among Business Incubators and with Universities on Local,

Regional and International Levels



Internationalization of BI/STPs – M9

Key objectives- improving visibility of BIs/STPs- supporting internationalization of tenants- attracting international firms



Internationalization of BI/STPs

Efficiency indicators • Number of internationalization activities

• Number of international firms or multinational companies attracted by BIs/STPs

• Number of sponsors and partners attracted by BIs/STPs

• Number of companies that successfully went internationally supported by BI/STPs

• Number of new partnerships between international institutions/companies with BIs/STPs tenants

• Internationalization success ratio

• Number of joint international projects



Networking of BIs, STPs and universities – M10

Key objectives- create transparency of existing BIs/STPs in WB

countries based on a standard set of data (qualified for publication) which will be regularly updated

- set up a benchmarking exercise for BIs/STPs- facilitate the building of consortia for public funded

projects, use of specific infrastructure, training initiatives, business-to-business relations and R&D collaboration



A good example of mapping and presenting data about business incubators

“Austrian map of business incubators / technologycentres”www.innovationszentren-austria.at.

Example: VTÖ Innovation Map



Networking of BIs, STP, universities

Efficiency indicators • # of ideas on the WVC INNO platform collected by BIs/STPs• # of BIs/STPs participating in a B/s/STPs Map, completeness of

data about tenants• # of business-to-business relations and R&D collaboration involving

BI and/or STP tenants and/or Faculties



Graz - Styria

Styria, the „green heart of Austria“

1,2 Mio. inhabitants

31.000€ GDP per capita

Strong industrial sector,50% export rate

expenses on R&D = 4,7% of GDP among TOP-15 EU regions;

72% of R&D expenses by business,28% of R&D expenses by 9 public universities and 1 large RTO*

*RTO…Research and Technology Organisation



Graz University of Technology

Students 12.300

… foreign students 1.860

Graduates (BSc,. MSc. resp. Dipl.-Ing., Dr.) 1.950

Federal Budget 114 Mill. €

Additional Third Party Revenue (mostly from R&D projects)

57 Mill. €2002: 20 Mill. €

Scientific Staff 1.392

… Scientific Staff funded by Third Party Revenue 749



Location:•R&D collaboration with businesses = mostly local/regional: 50% in Styria, 25% other Austria, 25% international (Germany, Italy…)•Global enterprises have a portfolio of international academic partners•Licensees for university patents can be world-wide

Size:•50% of TU Graz enterprise partners are SMEs•many of them have TU Graz graduates in the workforce or were founded by TU Graz graduates

TU Graz business partners



Research Project Support: advice on public R&D funds, EU project admin., mandatory project reporting and documentation

Business Development: networking with businesses / clusters; experts matching, brokering of R&D projects

Technology Transfer: technology commercialisation IPR / patent support

KTT support organisation

Research & Technology HouseU. Diefenbach and C. Adametz plus 15 staff

Career Info-Serviceprofit center

Vice Rector for Research

Science Park Ltd.academic incubator: 50,1% equity

Forum Technology & SocietyEnterprise Club (fundraising/sponsoring)

Life Long Learning Officeprofit center

VR Academics



academic incubators programme

•Initiated by the Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (bmvit) in 2001

•The incubators support, accompany and accelerate the development of promising foundation projects by providing consulting, networks, funding and infrastructure supporting the implementation of a business

•8 centers Austria-wide 1 in Graz



2001: Initial application by C. Adametz and 3 colleagues 3,6 Mio.€ granted for 10 yrs. in 2002, successful re-application for 2012 - 2017

Shareholders: Graz University of Technology (50,1%); Medical University of Graz; Karl-Franzens-University Graz

Financed by Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG); one bank, Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG); City of Graz



Key facts:• Idea Competition, awareness events and regular meetings with

university KTOs to “fill the pipeline”• initial assessment by international project advisory board (PAB).

senior start-up experts from Italy, UK and Slovenia• 15 start-up projects p.a. pass the PAB;

2/3 of those have a TU Graz background

• tenants may stay for 18 months• office space etc. available• small loan available (must be re-paid)• consultancy and trainings are free of charge

• Science Park Business Angel club• close liaision with public funding and financing agencies



Creating bright businesses.



Awards for tenants

Pba³: Best of

Biotech 2008Bongfish:

Multimedia

Staatspreis 2009

Sunnybag: Fast

Forward Award 2011

Tyromotion:

Econovius 2010

iMAGOTAG:

„GEWINN“ best

young entrepreneur

2013

hill wind: „Green

Innovator“ / i2b

2013



Mario FallastStefan Rosenkranz

Entry: December 2007

The first intraruminal pH and temperature bolus for monitoring use in cattle.•Improve Feed intake•Optimize Feed efficiency•Keep your herd healthy



Thomas Weinberger Gunter Figner

Entry: December 2008

First “friction stir welding” technology with competitive market prices. Revolutioning welding processes.



15-20 academic start-ups every year, of those 1-3 classified as spin-outs (= IP arrangement with university)

2-3 start-ups/spin-outs (every year) will grow to be really successful

(eg measured by a growth to >10 employees within 3 yrs.)

Characteristics of the succcessful ones: •founders have 2-5 yrs. professional experience in private sector or were university assistants with a „practical“ dissertation subject•have a tangible product or a specific technology-based service•are not too dependent on public R&D funding•were „forced“ to enter international markets very early•may have encountered a „friendly takeover“ after a few years

TU Graz start-ups / spin-outs



strategy of TU Graz in dealing with spin-outs:•until 2004: no strategy, academic start-ups occurred nevertheless•2004-2010: TU tried to negotiate not only license deals but also a shareholder role in a new company just 1 genuine spin-out•2010 onwards: no shareholder role, „softer“ negotiations; „let the start-ups grow first, they will grow to be sustainable R&D partners“

2011 (new rector): growing importance of entrepreneurship:•reinforced focus on students entrepreneurship (eg budget and workshop for student racing teams …)•„entrepreneurial university“ for branding (student marketing)•public funds for genuine science parks“ (R&D infrastructure + space for start-ups; examples in Italy, Netherlands, UK …)

TU Graz strategy



Start-ups Spin-offs map



Thank you for your attention!

Christoph Adametz

Graz University of Technology

Research & Technology House

Graz, Austria

[email protected]

www.fth.tugraz.at

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