The role of Industry and Universities in developing successful technology Industries

Tony's involvement:

• Governance, Strategy building, Innovation management, Commercialisation of technology, Business growth.
• Phitek, Senztek, Auckland UniServices, Auckland materials accelerator, FRST, Vesper Marine, BEP Marine, SiFE.

Universities:

• Driven by knowledge, not financial success.
• Science led research has long lead times to completion (esp biotech).
• Little knowledge of market and competition.
• Commercialising research:
• validates the quality and relevance of the research.
• builds status.

Companies seldom engage in fundamental research.

University technology transfer companies:

• UniServices: ~80% revenue through contract work.
• Viclink
• Otago Innovation
• Canterprise: works regionally within itself.

Good to go to the company's CEO and build a relationship there.

Good entrepreneurs delegating work to others. Bad entrepreneurs do all the work themselves.

Catch-22 with patent protection: Have to wait for patent to come through before product/service can be released; once you have the patent you need to be prepared to fight infringements - can be a stumbling block for start-ups since cash is limited.

If there's one idea, there must be another that goes with it?