Knowledge Transfer

MESA+ works closely together with the University of Twente business development team to implement the knowledge transfer process. This team gives assistance in protecting an invention, developing a business case and transferring knowledge to a company. It has in-house expertise to support researchers, starting from the initial phase of knowledge protection. This is done by applying for patents, transferring patents, and possibly by helping to establish a spin-off. The contact for MESA+ is Roy Kolkman.

Bringing a concept from the initial stage to developing a marketable product generally involves a substantial investment, and to safeguard the potential return on that investment it is often necessary to protect new ideas by taking out a patent. The business development team coordinates the university’s patent application, examines whether the conditions for making a patent application are met (new, inventive) and assesses the business case. If the team is convinced of the necessity to apply for a patent, then the application is financed out of the University of Twente patents fund.

MESA+ subsequently gives active assistance in transferring the patent to either a spin-off or an existing market party, aiming to transfer patents on market terms before a choice needs to be made as to in which countries the patent needs to be applied for (within 30 months after submitting the initial patent application). If the patent will yield a return in the future, then in accordance with the Patents Implementing Regulations of the University of Twente , the inventors share in the proceeds.