Transfer Academy

A innovation accelerator designed specifically for academic/research staff and PhD students at VSB-TUO.

Maximize the potential of your R&D results and open the door to commercial success.
Transfer Academy brings new knowledge and skills, opportunities to establish valuable contacts, and inspiration from real stories of successes and failures.

What Transfer Academy offers?

A series of 7 hands-on workshops that will equip you with essential skills and knowledge for successful technology transfer and effective industry collaboration

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1. Intellectual Property Protection Strategy

Strategic protection of research results – how to choose the right form and territorial scope of protection (patent, utility model, copyrighted work) to increase the chances of commercialization.
Collaboration with partners and intellectual property – how to set ownership and licensing arrangements when working with partners from industry and the public sector.
AI and intellectual property protection – how to protect products involving AI?
Specifics of software and know-how protection – how to protect outputs that are not traditionally patentable but hold high practical value.
International protection from a Czech perspective – how to build on national protection and extend it abroad – crucial for globally relevant results.
Using intellectual property in practice – options ranging from licensing and spin-offs to new projects and cooperation with the application sphere.

2. Legal Aspects of Collaboration with Industry

Legal foundations of technology transfer – what technology transfer is, what goals it serves, and the roles of the researcher vs. the institution.
Employee vs. academic works – a brief overview of industrial property and copyright.
Contractual aspects of technology transfer – legal specifics of the public research institution environment and the roles of the various stakeholders.
Types of contracts – what they must contain and what to watch out for, the difference between collaboration and commissioned work, rights to results, licensing agreements (types, remuneration, audits), transfers of rights, and specifics for spin-offs.
State aid and public funding rules – when support is considered state aid, what market and non-market conditions mean. An overview of European Commission rules and the impact of grant agreements on the use of results.
Case examples – anonymized case studies, common mistakes, and how to avoid them.

3. AI in Technology Transfer

Personalizing AI for academics – how to tailor ChatGPT to research and academic activities – setting roles, communication style, and specific goals.
AI in support of technology transfer – using AI in data analysis – from monitoring trends and patent searches to working with scientific literature, markets, and creating presentations.
AI models and their practical use – overview of available AI tools and their application in working with text – summaries, comparisons, analyses. Principles of effective prompt design.
Risks and limitations of AI – ethical questions, handling sensitive data, the importance of critical thinking, and how to avoid so-called model “hallucinations".

4. Assessing Commercial Potential

Market and competition analysis – how to map trends, the target market, and the competitive landscape. Comparing the technology with existing solutions, including SWOT analysis.
Validating commercial vs. application potential – the difference between what is technically usable and what truly has market potential.
Assessing commercial potential – what criteria and methods to use to determine whether a technology has a chance of success on the market.
Prototype and Proof of Concept – why it is important to have a functional demonstration to verify applicability.
Market feedback – how to engage potential customers and use their responses to refine the product or service.
Paths to commercialization – how to choose the right model – establishing a spin-off, licensing, or selling IP.

5. The Path to a Spin-off

What a spin-off is and why (not) to establish one – what a spin-off company means, when to pursue it, and what the main motivations, benefits, and risks are.
When does a spin-off make sense? – how to recognize the right moment – key criteria: market, IP, team, development stage.
Where to get the first funding? – financing options: grants, investors, incubators, and other sources.
Team and business plan – why a good idea is not enough – the need for a CEO, a salesperson, the practical Lean Canvas tool, and finding people outside the university.
Ownership structure – licensing vs. equity participation, the university’s and researcher’s share – advantages, disadvantages, risks, and project protection.
Combining with academic work – conflicts of interest and how to balance teaching, research, and entrepreneurship.

6. How to Attract an Investor

Types of investors and where to find them – the difference between public and private investors, where to approach them – platforms, events, networking.
How investors evaluate technology – what matters to investors: market potential, team, IP protection, development stage, and business model.
Business plan for investors – how to prepare a plan that stands out – stages such as PoC, MVP, pilot, first customer, and their significance.
TRL level and its importance – how technology readiness level (TRL) influences investment decisions.
A pitch deck that convinces – how to balance technical description with a clear business story.
Negotiating with investors – what to prepare for when discussing terms of cooperation.
Case examples – specific experiences and lessons learned from encounters between academic projects and investors.

7. Science Communication

Why communicate science and for whom – an introduction to science communication – its purpose, benefits, and target audiences.
Forms of sharing research results – how to use written text, video, podcasts, or social media to disseminate scientific results.
Target groups and how to reach them – different approaches for the general public, media, experts, or students.
What works (and what doesn’t) in communication – tips on what to avoid and what helps make research more accessible.
How to present research clearly – simplifying the message without losing content – practical guidelines and examples.
Practical training – creating your own message, feedback, working with case examples, and preparing a pitch deck.