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The role of a Proof of Concept Center in a university ecosystem: an exploratory study

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  • Catarina Maia
  • João Claro

Abstract

The Proof of Concept phase in university technology transfer is considered to be critical for the success of both licensing and the creation of spin-off companies. In the United States, Proof of Concept Centers are emerging as successful structures to address the challenges of this phase. In this paper, we present a framework to assess the role for such a structure in a university ecosystem. The framework is built from previous references that we use to explicitly link the features of Proof of Concept Centers with the challenges of the Proof of Concept phase, and establish their specific contributions to the overall technology commercialization efforts of a university. We illustrate the application of this framework in a case study of the University of Coimbra, in Portugal, and develop a characterization that is representative of the role that a Proof of Concept Center can play in comparable university ecosystems that feature conventional technology commercialization structures, and struggle with the challenges of the Proof of Concept phase. Our study suggests that there is in fact a possible role for a Proof of Concept Center in the regional ecosystem of the University of Coimbra, with a potentially very relevant impact in the technology commercialization process, through networking outside academia and research environments, funding of Proof of Concept activities, and technology entrepreneurship education for the development of entrepreneurial skills for researchers. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Catarina Maia & João Claro, 2013. "The role of a Proof of Concept Center in a university ecosystem: an exploratory study," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 38(5), pages 641-650, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:38:y:2013:i:5:p:641-650
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-012-9246-y
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    7. Josh Lerner, 2005. "The University and the Start-Up: Lessons from the Past Two Decades," Springer Books, in: Albert N. Link & F. M. Scherer (ed.), Essays in Honor of Edwin Mansfield, pages 209-216, Springer.
    8. O'Shea, Rory P. & Allen, Thomas J. & Chevalier, Arnaud & Roche, Frank, 2005. "Entrepreneurial orientation, technology transfer and spinoff performance of U.S. universities," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 994-1009, September.
    9. Lockett, Andy & Siegel, Donald & Wright, Mike & Ensley, Michael D., 2005. "The creation of spin-off firms at public research institutions: Managerial and policy implications," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 981-993, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christopher S. Hayter & Andrew J. Nelson & Stephanie Zayed & Alan C. O’Connor, 2018. "Conceptualizing academic entrepreneurship ecosystems: a review, analysis and extension of the literature," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 1039-1082, August.
    2. Jeongsik Lee & Eric Stuen, 2016. "University reputation and technology commercialization: evidence from nanoscale science," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 586-609, June.
    3. Munari, Federico & Sobrero, Maurizio & Toschi, Laura, 2015. "Bridging the University Funding Gap: Determinants and Consequences of University Seed Funds and Proof-of-Concept Programs in Europe," EIF Working Paper Series 2015/27, European Investment Fund (EIF).
    4. Alberto Bettanti & Antonella Lanati & Alessandro Missoni, 2022. "Biopharmaceutical innovation ecosystems: a stakeholder model and the case of Lombardy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 1948-1973, December.
    5. Fuster, Elena & Padilla-Meléndez, Antonio & Lockett, Nigel & del-Águila-Obra, Ana Rosa, 2019. "The emerging role of university spin-off companies in developing regional entrepreneurial university ecosystems: The case of Andalusia," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 219-231.
    6. Maximilian Unger & Giulia Ajmone Marsan & Dirk Meissner & Wolfgang Polt & Mario Cervantes, 2020. "New challenges for universities in the knowledge triangle," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 806-819, June.
    7. Anna Kochenkova & Rosa Grimaldi & Federico Munari, 2016. "Public policy measures in support of knowledge transfer activities: a review of academic literature," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 407-429, June.
    8. Munari, Federico & Sobrero, Maurizio & Toschi, Laura, 2018. "The university as a venture capitalist? Gap funding instruments for technology transfer," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 70-84.
    9. Dedehayir, Ozgur & Mäkinen, Saku J. & Roland Ortt, J., 2018. "Roles during innovation ecosystem genesis: A literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 18-29.
    10. Good, Matthew & Knockaert, Mirjam & Soppe, Birthe & Wright, Mike, 2019. "The technology transfer ecosystem in academia. An organizational design perspective," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 82, pages 35-50.
    11. Alessandra Colombelli & Elettra D?Amico & Emilio Paolucci & Riccardo Ricci, 2018. "Attivit? e modelli universitari di trasferimento tecnologico," ECONOMIA E SOCIET? REGIONALE, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(3), pages 10-27.
    12. Jonathan D. Linton & Wei Xu, 2021. "Research on science and technological entrepreneurship education: What needs to happen next?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 393-406, April.
    13. Kamilla Kohn Rådberg & Hans Löfsten, 2023. "Developing a knowledge ecosystem for large-scale research infrastructure," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 441-467, February.
    14. Federico Munari & Einar Rasmussen & Laura Toschi & Elisa Villani, 2016. "Determinants of the university technology transfer policy-mix: a cross-national analysis of gap-funding instruments," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(6), pages 1377-1405, December.
    15. James A. Cunningham & Matthias Menter & Chris Young, 2017. "A review of qualitative case methods trends and themes used in technology transfer research," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 923-956, August.
    16. Matthew Good & Mirjam Knockaert & Birthe Soppe, 2020. "A typology of technology transfer ecosystems: how structure affects interactions at the science–market divide," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(5), pages 1405-1431, October.
    17. Svenja Jarchow & Andrea Röhm, 2019. "Patent-based investment funds: from invention to innovation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 404-433, April.
    18. Battaglia, Daniele & Paolucci, Emilio & Ughetto, Elisa, 2021. "The role of Proof-of-Concept programs in facilitating the commercialization of research-based inventions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(6).
    19. Markus A. Kirchberger & Larissa Pohl, 2016. "Technology commercialization: a literature review of success factors and antecedents across different contexts," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(5), pages 1077-1112, October.
    20. Eva Panetti & Adele Parmentola & Marco Ferretti & Elisabeth Beck Reynolds, 2020. "Exploring the relational dimension in a smart innovation ecosystem: a comprehensive framework to define the network structure and the network portfolio," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(6), pages 1775-1796, December.
    21. Cristina Caterina Amitrano & Marco Tregua & Tiziana Russo Spena & Francesco Bifulco, 2018. "On Technology in Innovation Systems and Innovation-Ecosystem Perspectives: A Cross-Linking Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-15, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Proof of Concept; Technology transfer; Technology commercialization; Entrepreneurship; L26; O31; O32;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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