Innovation – how do you take your research to market?

Inven2’s main area of focus is taking research results and turning them into a product or service in a market. Inven2’s services is aimed at researchers at the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital. 

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‘We receive about 100 research results, DOFIs (Disclosures of Invention), for evaluation every year. Our employees validate the results and consider whether they can be commercialised, either by being licensed to established industry partners or by establishing a new company,’ says Jens Halvard Grønlien.

Grønlien is head of the innovation department at Inven2. In close collaboration with Mohammed Amarzguioui, who is responsible for the innovation project portfolio in Inven2, he is responsible for the management of the research ideas that are submitted.

When a DOFI is submitted, a technology strategy manager (TSM) will be assigned to it based on which of Inven2’s employees has the required expertise in relation to the specialist area that the project covers. The TSM has a team, which, depending on the character and requirements of the DOFI, will include a business developer and someone with legal and patent expertise.

If the project is considered to have adequate commercial potential, it will be accepted as an active project with the aim of a commercial exit.

Do you work in this industry, and do you have responsibility for licensing products or services?

There is a description of attractive licensing opportunities within a number of specialist areas along with contact details for the individual project managers on the Inven2 website: www.inven2.com/licensing-opportunities/?lang=en

 

Medicine dominates

About 40% of all research results that are submitted are accepted as projects. Amarzguioui follows the progress of the projects ensuring that they are planned appropriately and adequately funded so that they can develop in a commercial direction.

Patenting is also an important part of this process, and Inven2 uses both internal patent specialists and external patent consultants.

The Inven2 website has an in-depth description of the process from when you submit an idea until a product or service is launched on the market: inven2.com/innovation/researchers/?lang=en

Most of the research results that are submitted come from the medical field.

75–85% of our work is health-related. The rest involves different forms of technology within ICT, materials, energy and the development of equipment.

The reason for this medical dominance is that there are many good medical research environments at the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital as well as the other hospitals under the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. These environments are particularly adept at recognising the innovative potential in their results.

Oncology is the biggest area within medicine. Approximately 40% of our medical projects are cancer-related, and a lot of exciting innovation is happening within the development of immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. There are also a number of immunology projects that can be applied to disorders others than cancer. Other specialist areas that stand out are cardiology and infectious diseases.

DO YOU HAVE research result THAT CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO A PRODUCT OR SERVICE?

Then we would like to hear from you.

In brief, we have expertise and provide services relating to business development, patenting, communication, licensing, starting a business and obtaining funding. We also have a large network of partners in Norway and abroad.

REPORT INVENTION
At Inven2, you will meet highly competent employees who, in partnership with you, will:
  • Carry out an assessment of your idea or discovery within two months.
  • Draw up a commercial strategy for how the idea or discovery can be commercialised, based on a market analysis.
  • Verify the idea or discovery. This is a demanding process that usually involves financing from the Research Council of Norway’s FORNY programme.
  • Realise the idea or discovery. This is done either through licensing or as a business start-up.
  • Once the business has been established, we help with business development.