What is Technology Transfer?

Entrepreneurial universities are hotbeds of innovation, and innovation is the lifeblood of a vibrant economy. Entrepreneurial universities foster a culture of enterprise on campus, and take risks in launching spin-off companies. They also develop discoveries into marketable innovation, and promote policies that create a receptive environment for entrepreneurship. In this context, entrepreneurship has a much broader definition than just business ownership. It implies creation and discovery and exploitation of profitable opportunities. This generates innovation and brings it to the market place.

The VU and VUmc wish to position themselves as an entrepreneurial university, and that implies that knowledge and technology transfer have become an integral part of their activities, besides research and teaching.

Technology transfer may occur to either the public or the private sector, and the VU and VUmc are involved in many activities which transfer their scientists’ and docters’ expertise and technology to user communities, industry, and businesses. In part, this occurs through large subsidy programs, such as European programs and national programs like TI Pharma and CTMM and BMM. In general, public funding for research is increasingly dependent on research’s possible contribution to economic growth and society.

The scope of knowledge exploitation covers the entire breadth of research at VU and VUmc:

• Humanities and Arts (Alfa)
• Natural and Exact Sciences (Bèta)
• Social and Behavioural Sciences (Gamma)
• Bio-medical sciences (Medical science)