EURECA: A Joint U.S.-Russian Approach to …...Skolkovo Foundation –Russian initiative to support...
Transcript of EURECA: A Joint U.S.-Russian Approach to …...Skolkovo Foundation –Russian initiative to support...
USAID Global Workshop on Education and
Development: From Evidence to Action
EURECA: A Joint U.S.-Russian Approach to Commercializing
University Research
Dan E. Davidson
President
American Councils for International Education:
ACTR/ACCELS
August 22, 2011
EURECA: an innovation intermediary
Main goal:
Milestones
October 2010 – June 2011
Built three strong U.S.-Russia university partnerships based on long-term mutual interest
Key networks established with: governments, associations, investors; tech transfer, patent and IP experts; entrepreneurial ecosystems
Interconnectedness of strategic partnerships established with: AAU, ARU, the U.S.-Russian Bilateral Presidential Commission Education Sub-Working Group, ICHT, and the International Commercialization Alliance established
Keen attention on expansion: expert community expansion; legal issues of IP commercialization in Russia; actual technology commercialization; start-up incubation; broadening of university partnership networks
Engendered strong interest from other countries
Funding For 2-Year Partnership Modules
Russia
Co - financingUSRF funding
3.1 million 3.34 million
UNN - 1.5m Year 1 1.6m
ITMO - 1.6m Year 2 1.74m
2 Russian National Research Universities
University of Nizhny Novgorod
St. Petersburg University of Information Technology, Mechanics and Optics
4 modular projects – learning, piloting, and dissemination
3 US partner universities and association engagement
1. UNN – Purdue Center for Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
2. UNN – UMCP Center for Regional & International Cooperation in TT
3. ITMO – UCLA Enhancing Worldwide ITMO Innovative Capacity
4. ITMO – UCLA Cross-Atlantic Innovative Bridge for Russian
Innovations
Bilateral Approach
Cooperative US-Russia Management
American Councils and New Eurasia Foundation
Facilitate communication between partners
Integrate benchmarks, interim measurements, tracking of outputs, outcomes for Y1 activities; guide Y2 planning based on lessons learned
Introduce corrections/ additional expertise as needed
Provide key analysis for project funder
Track, facilitate, cultivate and manage key partnerships (MOES, NRUs, business); Cultivate inclusion of NRUs in key communities: AAU, ARU, AUTM, NASVF
Interface with broader audiences with regular updates on progress via press, social media, newsletters, Russia and US website
Support activity calendars, travel and logistics
U.S. International Russian
•AUTM
•NBIA
•NCET2
•NASVF
•Innovation America
•AAU
•International Commercialization Alliance
•AmCham
•USRBC
•FS2B
•AIRR
•RVC
•Skolkovo
•Rosnano
•NRUs
•ARU
•OPORA
•Russian Union of Young Scientists
Multi-institutional Approach
Module Activity - 2011
Mechanisms that are common across modules include:
Learning Case-study review, consulting by US experts, direct training, mentoring,
sharing of template documents, procedures, analysis of procedures; shadowing; mentoring; facilitated conference attendance, familiarization with research areas
Piloting Testing, adapting case-studies, focus-groups, consensus building
Dissemination Bilingual set of regulatory documents, recommendations on marketing and
investment approaches; and template deals structures, documents to support investor relations; Market research, sets of educational materials (“tech transfer in a box”); syllabi, curricula, presentations, case-study libraries, recommendations on structures, articles, manuals; connections made to U.S., Russian, and international communities
Center for Regional and International Cooperation
Center for networking with industry
(“MD Industrial Partnerships model”) Training courses for industry partners, developing enhancements for university-industry cooperation (START program)
External marketing strategy
Connecting with large and small regional businesses, attracting industry research to participate in university R&D, connecting with entrepreneurial and investor community.
University office for international cooperation in Tech Transfer and “Umbrella” system for tech transfer services
at university
Trained staff, IP publicized internationally, updated acts, regulations, and new agreements. Legal and operational basis, internal and external stakeholder management
UNN – UMCP
UNN – Purdue
Procedures and regulations, and infrastructurePolicies and guidelines that meet international standards (statutes, strategies, Center workplan, staffing, external relations mechanisms)
Student involvement Business competitions, forums, master classes, interactive resources
Enhanced educational programsFour entrepreneurship syllabi, innovation courses, faculty trainings
Center for Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
ITMO – UCLA
Modernized innovation infrastructure Technology Transfer Office on campus operating in accordance with international standards
Practices to manage ITMO IP for international applicationTriage, IP valuation, international patenting, use of case studies and legal materials development and distribution on campus
Enhancing Worldwide ITMO Innovative Capacity (EWIIC) *
Industry-standard system of international tech transferStructure of functions to support activity
Seed and venture capital know-howEstablished connections and integrated best practices to promote ITMO IP
Centralized marketing service for ITMOFunctional marketing services for researchers/ entrepreneurs, including structured student involvement
* Participation of relevant associations - National Association of Seed and Venture Funds, The Entrepreneurs Club, National Council for Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer, National Business Incubation Association, coordinated by American Councils
Cross-Atlantic Innovation Bridge (CAIB) *
1. EURECA is contributing to the development of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in two Russian regions
Equipped with tools to build entrepreneurial structures and seed entrepreneurial culture at its hubs. Strong interconnectedness of TTO with institutional departments and units, interdisciplinary approach to Tech Transfer at US partnering institutions relevant for NRUs in midst of reform and growth
Regional events/ programs co-organized by hubs (eg May 2011 “From Science to Business” in St. Petersburg by ITMO; MIPS of UMCP adapted for UNN) position ITMO and UNN as models for educational, governmental and private sector interactions
Project pulls in stakeholders from investment community and government, and professional associations that sustain and support an ecosystem
Accomplishments
2. EURECA leverages the mutual interests of governments, business and higher education
Endorsed by key U.S. and Russian private entities and governmental organizations
Addresses bilateral development interests
Aimed to integrate intellectual potential of Russia into international business. Russian private interests - angels, RVC, OPORA of Russia, Russian Union of Young Scientists and Skolkovo Foundation engaged
Engages policy, academic and practice communities
Accomplishments
3. EURECA has built a good reputation in the field
Trust is established among immediate partners (universities, associations) and stakeholder communities in Russia and the U.S. through delivery of high-caliber, relevant expertise.
EURECA furthers Russia’s goal of acquiring the know-how to lead global innovation
Larger NRU community, not current EURECA beneficiaries revealed strong interest in replicating the model
Accomplishments
4. EURECA is providing for a long-term sustained approach to Russian innovation
Systemic approach to enable sustainable development vs. short-term economic gains
US university partner demonstration of how contributing to public good can complement revenue generation through commercialization of university IP
Experts from US tech transfer associations have piqued Russian interest in how to systematically build and execute innovation-based economic development, as has been done in many regions of the U.S.
Accomplishments
5. EURECA is identifying and addressing chief barriers to development and cooperation
Legal and procedural barriers to Russian commercialization of IP, e.g., the effectiveness of Law 217 in its current form, disparate accounting norms inhibiting investment, poorly developed concepts and practices in Russia regarding conflict of interest, IP security and protection
EURECA is in a strong position to contribute to the resolution of these issues
Accomplishments
2010 activity
Program Launch and Module Development
Pre-launch workshop for NRUs, Moscow
AUTM training for select NRU staff, USA
EURECA Partner meetings and program launch, USA
US university site visits, USA
Two module development seminars at NRU hubs conducted
NRU modules summarized and clarified for US partners
Response proposals from US universities generated
Revised proposals submitted by NRUs to USRF
EURECA represented at association events
Russian Ministry of Education and Science seminar conducted for modular project presentation to EURECA stakeholders
2011 activityImplementation
US-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission
Partner MOUs signed, grant agreements signed
University site visits, U.S. and Russia
Trainings in innovation-based economic development
U.S. university president – Russian rector meeting in April 2011
Template documents culled and shared
From Science to Business conference and high-level invitation-only supplement from EURECA
High-level meetings with Russian Venture Corporation, SkolkovoFoundation
Familiarization in U.S. with angel-student mentoring programs
Entrepreneurship curriculum developed
Industry roundtables to clarify university-industry cooperation models
AcronymsAIRR – Association of Innovation Regions of Russia
AmCham – American Chamber of Commerce
AUTM – Association of University Technology Managers
AAU – Association of American Universities
ARU – Association of Leading Russian Universities
EURECA – Enhancing University Research and Entrepreneurial Capacity
FS2B – From Science to Business (a Russia-based annual conference)
ICHT – U.S.-Russia Innovation Council on High Technologies
IP – Intellectual Property
ITMO – St. Petersburg University for Information Technologies, Mechanics, and Optics
Law 217 – Federal law of Russia enabling federally educational institutions to engage in commercialization of IP/ start-ups
MIPS – Maryland Industrial Partnerships
MOES – Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
NASVF – National Association of Seed and Venture Funds
NBIA – National Business Incubation Association
NCET 2- National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer
NRU – National Research University
OPORA RUSSIA - Russian Non-Governmental Organization for Small and Medium Entrepreneurship
RUSNANO – Russian Nanotechnology Corporation
RVC – Russian Venture Company – a Russian federal state fund of venture funds, JSC
Skolkovo Foundation – Russian initiative to support national innovation ecosystem
START – Russian federal program supporting entrepreneurs aiming to develop manufacturing of innovative products or services integrating the results of early stage research with high commercialization potential
TT – Technology Transfer
TTO – Technology Transfer Office
UCLA – University of California at Los Angeles
UMCP – University of Maryland at College Park
UNN – University of Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia)
USRBC – US-Russia Business Council
USRF – US-Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and the Rule of Law