Garold Breit, Executive Director, Technology Transfer Office, University of Manitoba, Canada

How can universities and the private sector foster tech transfer and successful partnerships?

I find that the best university/industry alliances are built on a strong scientific foundation and on close personal relationships. Still, to harness the power of these collaborations, it is important to move toward the market quickly and efficiently.  In fact, lowering transaction costs, for all parties, is important. We anticipate that Biofit will be a major component in our approach to building partnerships and reducing transaction costs.

What could be the impact of “open innovation” in academic technology transfer practice?

We are using “open innovation” principles in all of our partnering efforts. That is, we want to ensure that our technologies are utilized to the maximum, whether in the final product offering or in developing that final product.  And, we want to be aware of field-of-use leverage, limited-time exclusive or co-exclusive approaches to technology management.  In order to utilize “open” theories, we find that direct, face-to-face meetings (as Biofit allows) and creative deal-making strategies, with partners who have established “bona fides”, leads to “open gains” for all.

In your opinion, how could Biofit facilitate bridge-building between the academic world and industry?

The Biofit Conference is uniquely positioned at the crossroads of Europe and in an easily accessible spot for North Americans.  While Biofit provides that famous French hospitality in a user-friendly facility, it also promises to be a truly “international” Conference tuned to meet the needs of deal makers.

Dedicated to tech-transfer by bringing together private and public innovators, Biofit will definitely refresh your innovation landscape through panels and workshops on :

  Is open innovation turning into an established part of the business and innovation? Visions from academia and industry.

  When (and when not) is creating a start-up the right way to capitalize IP for academic inventions?

  How to create a financial environment  that  will increase the probability of success for early stage biotechs.

  How can universities and the private sector improve “technology bundling” opportunities?

  What are the roles of “in-licensing” and "open innovation" in current-day academic technology transfer practice?

  Open innovation vs traditional R&D collaborations: examples of successful implementation from pharmaceutical companies and concerns that exist over sharing know how with outsiders.

  Do job creation and economic development pressures in technology transfer impact technology transfer performance?