Innovation, Technology Transfer & Entrepreneurship
Arkane Innovation has significant global experience developing the key elements of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems. This includes assessment of intellectual property, technology transfer and research commercialisation, development of entrepreneurship programs such as incubators and startup accelerators, delivery innovation training program delivery and creating innovation parks. Our work has included strategy, implementation, benchmarking, and best-in-class case studies.
Project Type: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Client: Public University
Region: Middle East
Year: 2020-2023
Overview: Supported a large public middle east university on the development of an innovation ecosystem as part of the implementation of the university strategic plan. Arkane Innovation supported the implementation of their Innovation and Entrepreneurship strategy through new entrepreneurial infrastructure, a new startup incubator, a new organizational structure including job descriptions, development of a new holding company structure to would deal with intellectual property and hold equity from licensing, trained faculty staff on commercialisation of research and mentored new startup teams. An initial audit was carried out in January and February 2020, which included the use of the Arkane Ecosystem audit tool, and a review of all university funded research projects, both internal and external funding, for the previous three years to identify potential intellectual property and commercialisation opportunities. The team also reviewed the existing patent portfolio with the same process. During the project, the team also did a number of best practice benchmarking and case studies for the university examining the potential for a university consulting practice, and the analysis of the right holding company structure to support technology transfer and research commercialisation.
Project Type: Research & Innovation Park Development
Client: Municipal Economic Development organization
Region: Middle East
Year: 2021-2023
Overview: In collaboration with a global strategy consulting firm, the Arkane team supported a large municipal economic development organisation, with a university attached, to develop a new innovation park concept. This included in developing lessons learned from identifying and benchmarking leading innovation park concepts around the world. This benchmarking included identifying those innovation parks differentiated positioning, facilities, services, successes, failures, financial sustainability. This also involved interviewing key personnel at these research & innovation campuses to understand the experiences and lessons learned. The process also involved proving a report on the list of laboratories and facilities required to establish a leading research and innovation park and provide input to the scenarios that will be developed around facilities development including intensity of digitisation and connectivity, LEED aspirations, architectural considerations.
Project Type: Technology Transfer Assessment
Client: Multiple Higher Education Institutes
Region: South Asia
Year: 2023
Overview: In collaboration with a US university, the Arkane Innovation team completed an assessment of the capacities and capabilities of the faculty for technology transfer in an Asian country. The Arkane team all supporting information needed to complete the baseline technical capability assessment; through conducting a series of questionnaires, interviews, and a workshop for Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The project also involved developing a training and development programme for HEI’s, technology transfer offices to build a base level foundation of knowledge, skills, and aptitudes for technology and venture commercialization and economic development at those HEIs.
Project Type: Technology Transfer Assessment
Client: Public University
Region: Middle East
Year: 2022
Overview: In collaboration a country consulting firm partner, an Arkane Innovation team conducted a commercialisation assessment of a major university patent portfolio. This project involved a review, analysis and short listing of the university’s existing intellectual property portfolio and recommendations on next steps for research valorisation for specific prioritised patents.
Project Type: Technology Commercialisation Training
Client: Global Industry Association
Region: United States of America (USA)
Year: 2020 (in-person) and 2021 (on-line)
Overview: Designed and delivered research commercialisation training for a global industry association, initially for their annual conference in San Diego (USA), with an audience of the association members. Understanding the value proposition of a product, service or indeed an organisation is key to understanding the business model. Clarity around what the value proposition is, in the eyes of the customer or user and why it matters is absolutely essential to drive growth. This workshop provides teams across all levels in an organisation with a 'pracademic' approach to learning. Participants learned a number of skills and tools in a practical way, that would allow them to define, clarify and understand their value proposition in an effort to drive business model innovation efforts for both their customers and their business. The workshop provided teams across all levels in an organization with an overview of how to define, clarify and understand the value of an innovation effort to both their customers and their business, that gives teams the confidence required to commit fully to the objective. The audience included project managers, technology transfer professionals from industry and academia, new product development leaders and academic entrepreneurs.
Project Type: Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Client: Public University
Region: United Kingdom (UK)
Year: 2020
Overview: Arkane Innovation advised a public university in the UK on the development a new innovation program for student entrepreneurship, identifying meta skills and extracurricular education programs for students and advising on the establishment of creative spaces for the university to enhance entrepreneurship activities. This project involved reviewing the existing student innovation and entrepreneurship processes and systems, reviewing international best practice leading to the design a new student innovation process that would engage the university’s diverse student population. Outputs included an initial wireframe of what an Innovation Challenge program for students might look like, benchmarked and provided examples of similar international programs. A complete draft of areas of focus, positioning of the program vis-à-vis other programs in the field and the post-pandemic landscape and the existing and potential future needs of the university itself as well as key stakeholders was provided. The process also involved the co-design of a robust version of the strategy and implementation plan for a program.