Mastering Technology Transfer: From Invention to Innovation by Vekinis, George;

Long description:

Every innovation starts its life as an idea. It is the systematic transformation of this idea, via its manifestation as an invention, to the final innovative material, device, process, method, service, etc. that is the subject of this practical step-by-step guide. It will be very useful to anyone who has a technological idea and wishes to commercialize it.

The author describes a systematic transformational process in ten distinct stages, from the birth of the idea, through its technical validation and its economic viability validation, to the final market innovation. The author correlates this process with the “Technology Readiness Levels” which form the backbone of nearly all major R&D programs. In addition, the reader is introduced to the three critical milestones where crucial go/no-go decisions are made. A number of case studies have been added in this new edition and analyzed in some detail. This guide is based on many years of experience of the author in technology transfer activities both as a mentor and a senior consultant of the European Commission. The book includes a plethora of clear definitions and clarifications as well as valuable strategic advice and insights into many key aspects of the transformational process that will be useful to any inventor wishing to take their invention to its logical conclusion, that of a valuable product or service.

Table of Contents:

Part 1: The Long Road Ahead.- 1. An Invention Is Not An Innovation.- 2. Can Every Idea Be Transformed into an Innovation?.- 3. What Are The Driving Forces for Innovation?.- 4. Can Everybody Be an Innovator?.- 5. The Long, Hard Road Ahead.- 6. The Critical Milestones.- Part 2: Cloistered Creativity.- 7. The Birth of the Idea.- 8. How Do You Determine If a New Technology Has Value?- 9. Critical Milestone 1: Proof of Concept.- 10. Research and Development.- 11. Strategy for Protection and Freedom for Use.- 12. Critical Milestone 2: Validation of Technical Feasibility for Applications.- Part 3: Maturing in the Real World.- 13. Out Into the Real World: Scaling Up.- 14. Business Planning for New Entrepreneurs.- 15. Critical Milestone 3: The Industrial Prototype and Validation of Economic Viability.- 16. A Researcher’s Strategy for Technology Transfer.- 17. Industrialisation.- 18. On to the Market!.- 19. What Can Go Wrong?.- Part 4: Case Studies in Technology Transfer.- 20. Case Study 1. Microwave Heating Process for Bulk Ceramics.- 21. Case Study 2. High-Hardness, High-Toughness, Nanostructured Coatings for Gears and Axles.- 22. Case Study 3. Advanced Energy Cells for Portable Power Tools and Other Devices.- 23. Case Study 4. Advanced Nanostructured Coatings for High-Precision Turning of Very Hard Materials.- 24. Case Study 5. Nanostructured Medical Preparation.- 25. Case Study 6. Specialist Cross Platform Interface Software.- 26. Case Study 7. Low Cost Inorganic Pigments.- 27. Case Study 8. Low Cost Contact Brushes For High Power Electric Motors.- Part 5: Glory Years, Natural Decline and Renewal.- 28. Glory Years.- 29. Natural Decline And Renewal.- 30. Closing Remarks.