Sri Lanka Inventors Commission Proposed Strategic Plan 2012-2014.

Sri Lanka Inventors Commission Proposed Strategic Plan

2012-2014

National Vision

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“ the people of our country are now awaiting the victory in the ‘economic war’ in a manner similar to our victory in the war against terrorism”

“over the next six years, I will dedicate myself to increase our per capita income to well above US $ 4,000, thereby placing our country in the ranks of middle income nations”

Mahinda Chintana- Vision for the Future

SLIC Corporate Plan 2012-2014

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“Innovative entrepreneurs, with their new products, new processes, new markets, and novel approaches to putting inventions to effective use, are key to an economy's long-term growth”. WILLIAM J. BAUMOL, PH.D. Senior Advisor, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; Harold Price Professor of

Entrepreneurship and Academic Director, Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, New York University; Senior Economist and Professor Emeritus, Princeton University


Vision

To be the hub of harnessing and promoting innovative skills of Sri Lankans in providing impetus for socio economic development and nation building through inventions and innovations.

Vision simplified

Prosperity through Inventions and Innovations Nava nipeum thanana deyak,yasa isurin prunu

hetak kj ksmehQï ;kk oehla hi biqßka msreKQ fyglA

Mission

Be the leading catalyst in bringing out innovative capability of the nation

Be a forerunner of the facilitation process in converting ideas in to practical applications

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Our values Inventors will perceive us to be

proactive ,supportive Government- as the resource provider will

see us as result oriented well managed institution.

Public- will see us as a useful people friendly government institution

Staff- we will be a team committed to the cause of promoting inventiveness in the society

04/19/2377 SLIC Corporate Plan 2012-2014

Preamble

Superior inventions and innovations supported by stronger branding can demand a premium in the market place. Nations with such products/brands enjoy higher economic benefits.

In order to increase the probability of developing winning products and solutions the total number of experimentation must be increased.

Therefore the efforts of SLIC should stimulate increasing the number of experiments thus increasing the chance of coming up with successful products.

Inventions are done by individuals who have the capability to observe a problem or an opportunity and come up with a technical solution for that. This is a process with many steps as given in the following diagramme.

The Process of Innovation to Commercialization

OBSERVATION

TECHNOLOGY INTERVENTION

PROMOTION

The Key Three Steps of Innovation to Commercialization

The activities of SLIC therefore has to increase the incidence at all these stages.


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OpportunitiesPost War Sri Lanka is poised to take greatStrides in the economic fronts. This will Provide opportunities for inventors to find markets For their inventions and possible investors

ThreatsIncreasing globalisation and regional

trade agreements will challenge the

viability of non competitive products and services

made locally

StrengthsSLIC has a established frame work for operationThere is a team of experienced and committed Staff who are familiar with the processes, challenges, and opportunities

WeaknessesAbsence of a full time CEO for the

organisationKey positioned not being filled yet

Inadequate private sector partnershipThe organisation functions as a

commission


Board of the Commission

Organizational Structure/Human Resources

Commissioner

Assistant Commissioner(02)

Treasury Representative(01)


Executive Summary Incorporated by Sri Lanka Inventors Incentives Act, No

75 of 1979 Sri Lanka Inventors Commission is expected to encourage the making or creation of inventions by citizens of Sri Lanka and to give technical financial and legal assistance to inventors among its main objectives. The net outcome of these is to increase the number of inventions that are commercialized thus contributing to the national economy. Having studied the process leading to these outcomes this strategic plan is developed basing the three areas of Observation, Technology intervention and Promotion as its cornerstones. Every strategy will be linked to one or more of these strategic thrust areas*.The functions of the commission according to the Act can be linked to these thrust areas. The commission expects as a result of these integrated activities the number of patent applications to increase by 25% and the number of commercialized patents to increase by 5%over the plan period. There are seven key strategies directly linked to the key outcomes while three are linked to the organisational effectiveness.

year RecurrentRs in Mn.

Capital Rs Mn

TotalRs Mn

2011 20 40 60

2012 33 199 232

2013 50 219 269

2014 70 243 313

year No of patent applications (Resident)

Issued patents(Resident)

Commercialization

2011-up to August

133 43

2012 250 150 10

2013 325 250 15 - 20

2014 450 400 30 - 50

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Key strategies:-1. Re position presidential awards aligning them to national development goals2. “Sahasak Nimevum” national exhibition and inventions month to widespread innovative culture3. Revitalize school level programmes leveraging the power of electronic media4. Facilitate greater access to funds and to private sector for inventors.5. Empower inventors through provision of knowledge and access to expertise 6. Web strategy as a key enabler7. International recognition for our inventors8. Update the act to reflect the needs of the day9. Capability development of the staff10.Strong governance framework


* Relevant thrust area is given along each strategy by using O,T.P

Strategy O T P Ref to functions of the act

Reposition presidential awards aligning them to national development goals

√ √ √ 11f

“Sahasak Nimevum” national exhibition and innovations month to widespread innovative culture

√ √ √ 11h

Revitalize school programmes leveraging the power of electronic media

√ √ 11l

Facilitate greater access to funds and to private sector to inventors

√ 11b,11d,11e

Empower inventors through provision of knowledge and access to expertise

√ 11a, 11c,11g,11j

Web strategy as a key enabler √ √ √ 11i

International recognition for our inventors √ √ √ 11k

Executive Summary (Cont..)

PromotionTechnology Intervention

Observation

“Innovation itself is not enough…It is wasted money

unless it solves consumer problems”

sanjay jha Motorola


Strategies and Broad Action Plans

The reference number given against key areas are the corresponding numbers given in the act as

objects of the commission


Key Performance Indicators

Ref

Description Measure 2012 2013 2014Rs. in Mn

11 a

11c

Give tech assistance and help prepare patent applications

Render legal assistance in filing patent applications

Number of patent applications supported

5 6 7

11b

Granting financial assistance Number of grants and amounts 20+10

0(*Inventors Fund)

25+100

30 +10011

dRecommend to lending institutions Number of such

recommendations and amounts

11e

Help market inventions Number and volumes 12 15 20

11f Presidential Awards Number of winners33.5 37 4211

hPromote inventiveness and creativity Number of events

organized and the number of products developed

11g

Establishment of inventions laboratory

Availability of a facility 1 2 317 SLIC Corporate Plan 2012-2014

Key Performance Indicators- ctdRef Description Measure 2012 2013

2014Rs.in Mn

11-i Publish and disseminate information about inventions and researches and science

Number of such publications / events

3 4 5

11j Hold regular monthly sessions

Number of such events and number participated

5 6 7

11K Join international competitions

Number participatedAwards won

8 10 12

11l Organize creative societies in schools

Number of such societies Outcomes from those

10 12 14

Staff development activities Number of training programmes conducted/participated

1.5 2 3

Total 199

219 24318

* A separate budget proposal will be submitted to convert Inventors Fund in to a Venture Capital Fund. The money will be requested only up to the year 2014 from the Treasury to raise the fund


Strategy 1.(O T P) Reposition Presidential Awards aligning them to the national development goals and important strategic sectors


11 F Presidential Awards

Introduce a two tier selection process and seek change act to broadbase the number of judges

Change the definitions given in the act which are discipline oriented to impact or target consumer benefit focused. Reflecting the emerging trends in technology integration.

Public and Private sector organizations that can demonstrate more than 25% of growth in profitability or turnover as a result of any innovation undertaken or by commercialization of an invention such organizations to be recognized at the presidential awards.

Recognize electronic and print media who have significantly promoted the cause of innovation and inventions.

Announce information about focus areas at the preceding years awards ceremony


Focus Areas for Presidential Awards

Solutions to make Disabled Persons Independent- Persons who are limited to function as expected due to various difficulties resulting from Aging, War, Accidents, Diseases and Congenital situations need to be provided with solutions to be independent to improve their quality of life.

Inventions to enhance teaching of science maths and technology- There may be many teachers who use inventions to help improve learning experience of students. This is important to encourage more cost effective ways to teach these subjects and enhance the application capability of students. ( This may be a category to consider without patents ? )

Inventions that provide solutions to health problems. There is great potential in developing herbal solutions for various health issues

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Focus Areas for presidential awards

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Import substitutions- any invention that has proven or has potential to substitute imports must be recognized. Here the importance should be given to solutions of comparable quality and effectiveness.

Solutions to improve productivity at home- family unit is the primary economic entity. Any solution to reduce expenses, improve productivity, offer ways to enhance income of households or quality of life

Move Up the value Chain- solutions to move any produce up the value chain, more than pure value adding should be recognized

Agriculture- solutions to improve productivity of agriculture and farming thus improving the profitability, productivity of those activities


Strategy 2 (O T P) “Sahasak Nimevum” national exhibition and inventions month to widespread innovative culture.


11h Promote inventiveness and creativity

Sahasak Nimevum – Thousand Creations national exhibition. Conduct an annual exhibition of inventions and

innovations under the following categories Patented inventions and innovations Inventions with utility value Creative inventions

School level Junior- Senior University level Technical Colleges Organisational level Independent inventors Ideas – where simulations of futuristic products and services

can be displayed


11h -11L to promote inventiveness + school level activities

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Declare a month as the “ National Inventors Month” and consolidate activities such as the National Exhibition, Presidential Awards, Forum for Inventors and inventor investor meetings during this month so that the impact from the money spent can be maximized.

The National Exhibition to be named “ sahasak nimevum” ( iyilA ksuejqï ) Thousand inventions

Seek institutional sponsorships for various segments of the event thus reducing the burden on SLIC

The best 100 selected by a panel and the visitors to be recognized

Explore the possibility of taking those to regions to conduct regional exhibitions- or conduct regional exhibitions to select best for the national


Strategy 3 ( O T ) Revitalize school level programmes leveraging the power of electronic media, and leverage the reach of school level inventors clubs to identify grass root inventions and innovations.


11h -11L to promote inventiveness + school level activities Revitalize the school level programme by establishing “

Prathibha” the inventors club using TV medium. This way the limited resources of the commission can be leveraged better. One school club can be shown in this TV programme every week .

Provide a manual for schools to be down loaded from the SLIC web site on how to organize an inventors club.

Encourage schools to have inter house competitions for inventions.

Propose the UGC to give recognition to the winners of national level awards for inventions when they seek university admissions.

Promote the concepts at the private schools as well. Leverage the web and social media to feature school

level creations.27 04/19/2327 SLIC Corporate Plan 2012-2014

11h -11L to promote inventiveness + school level activities Recognize Gras root Inventions: Through the school level clubs, vidatha

centres, media correspondents identify rural level inventions, document them and where appropriate help them commercialize otherwise popularise them

Teach Creativity- propose education authorities to introduce creativity as a skill, explore the possibility of making Edward De Borno’s work translated in to Sinhala and Tamil.


Strategy 4 ( P) Facilitate greater access to funds and to

private sector for inventors.


11b Granting Financial Assistance.11d Recommend Lending Institutions Set up a robust internal process to select potential

candidates to receive such financial grants and have in place a suitable legal agreement framework that protects the interests of the commission

Establish incubators with selected universities that demonstrate a strong track record for developing innovations and provide financial assistance through the incubator system.

Partner with Post Graduate Institutes where MBA students can be linked with inventors who need business management skills in developing project reports etc to go for funding options either from lending institutions or from potential investors.

Explore the possibility of private sector partnership model to make the Sri Lanka Inventors Fund a true venture capital fund.


11b Granting financial Assistance. Seek LKR 100 Million seed capital to set up

the Inventors Fund. The fund should be able to take an Equity

Stake in the eventual business and then sell out at the right time with a capital gain.

Explore the possibility of private sector organisations to sponsor inventors as a part of their CSR initiatives.


Strategy 5 (P) Empower inventors through provision of knowledge and access to expertise


11,a- 11 c- Support in patents.

The commission should while developing internal capability take leadership in broad basing patent writing consultancy capability across the country in partnership with the Sri Lanka Patent Office Develop a guide book as an e book in E/S/T that

can be easily downloadable from the SLIC web site Conduct programmes to impart knowledge on how

to write patents and encourage professionals with technical background to learn this.

During the annual inventor forums educate them on the subject.

11e help market inventions

Educate inventors on how to recognize opportunities with market potentials when embarking on projects with a commercial objective by providing such information in the web site and during annual investor symposium. ( sometimes inventions happen and subsequently become marketable products such as Post it Pads. But this is the exception than the norm)

Establish regular communication links with the Chambers of Commerce to introduce inventors

Provide a base through the SLIC web site whereby the organisations with problems can contact inventors who can give solutions thus help them market their core competency.

MBA partnering programme Provide a model legal agreement and guide lines as to how the

inventors can protect their IP when negotiating with potential investors


11 G Inventors laboratory

Instead of setting up a separate laboratory it is proposed that SLIC signs MOUs with the different research labs available within the government agencies to provide such facilities to the inventors recommended by the commission on pre agreed cost reimbursement basis.

Develop a suitable agreement that binds the research lab to protect the IP of the inventor and for the inventor to reimburse such costs once the project commercialized

11-j Monthly sessions ( since this is not viable annual sessions and web based blogging and such social media will be used) Annual National Inventors' Convention

Target Audience – Potential and existing inventors Topics to be covered:-

The road from an idea to commercially viable proposition

The pitfalls to avoid How to protect IP Commercialization options- do it self or sell the idea How to look after the commercial interest How to negotiate Success stories and learnings from entrepreneurs

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Strategy 6 (O T P)

. Web strategy as a key enabler while leveraging other media as well to promote inventions and innovations

11-i dissemination – WEB STRATEGY The web site to include the following in addition to

the regular information Video clips of inventions A forum for inventors to blog Buyer Seller mart where companies host their problems

seeking solutions from inventors and inventors to showcase their capabilities

Information about thrust areas Down loadable instructions on IP applications, school

clubs Information and links to international inventors

organisations Links to tech web sites that give latest news in the areas Reverse auction for transparent tender procedure


11-i dissemination

Request every TV station to feature local inventors on a regular basis and to consider showing new inventions from around the world

Request the print media organisations to feature prominently the local inventors and their stories and to show case international case studies

Hold an annual national inventors convention

11-i dissemination – web strategy

The SLIC web site to be developed using open source technology the preferred tech platform by ICT

Develop internal capability to manage the web site Web site to be bench marked against international

web sites In addition to the standard features to include forums

for discussions, ability to upload through You Tube Social media linkage so that the ideas can be spread

fast Provide links to selected sites such as TED.COM Have an e mail data base of local inventors ( The commission has already secured a domain

address )

Strategy 7 ( O T P)

. International recognition for our inventors

11k International Competitions Research to find out what the available international

competitions are and the requirements for participations Give publicity to such opportunities through the web site, e

mails and through mass media where appropriate Develop a transparent and robust selection process if SLIC

to support financially Introduce a structured experience sharing system by the

participants on their return from overseas competitions, by way of publishing their stories through media and web site as well

Link up with international organisations for best practice transfer


2014 international inventors event (OTP)

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Plan to organize an international inventors event in Sri Lanka .


Strategy 8 ( O P ) Update the act to reflect the needs of the day


Review the legal form of the commission to evaluate whether this needs to be converted to an authority for greater effectiveness

Propose the needed amendments to the act to reflect the needs of the times such as the award categories, functions, selection of judges for the presidential awards. Structure of the commission by facilitating greater interaction with leading trade chambers.


Strategy 9 Capability development of the staff


Staff

There are a number of key vacancies that need to be filled immediately for the commission to function.

Since most of the activities of the commission are of project nature, a matrix organisation is ideally suited. An attempt will be made to leverage the commitment and capability of the existing staff to deliver the objectives using this approach where one person to lead the project and a number of others to support.

( The first workshop for the staff was already conducted. This was sponsored by AVIVANDB Insurance PLC )

The staff will be educated on the topic of invention by encouraging them to seek latest news via internet

Staff- capability development

Encourage them to develop language Skills in English and Tamil

Improve presentation skills Personal development plans

Strategy 10

Establish a strong and robust governance frame work

Governance The Secretary of the commission to be clearly

identified as the CEO of the organisation. The Strategic plan approved by the Hon

Minister to be implemented through the organsation by the CEO and the Staff.

The commission to monitor progress and provide direction.

Monthly meetings of the commission to review progress of the implementation of the strategic plan and the compliance with applicable regulations.


Internal Processes

Prepare written procedures for internal work processes using flow charts and specifying standards where applicable.

Introduce 5S system to make the office efficient and be in a more organized manner prior moving in to the new office.

Ensure effective utilization of physical assets of the commission


Expected outcome.

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Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Number of applications for competitions

- 150 500 750 1000

Number of participants at competitions

- 150 500 750 1000

Number participants at exhibitions

- 2000 3000 4000

Number of participants at International competitions and number of awards

- 1010

1515

2020

No of commercializations

10 15-20 30-50

Number of School Inventors Clubs

1000(active)

1000(active)

1500 2000 3000

Number of assignments to inventors by companies

20 50 100SLIC Corporate Plan 2012-2014

Sri Lanka Inventors Commission Proposed Strategic Plan 2012-2014.

Documents

Transcript of Sri Lanka Inventors Commission Proposed Strategic Plan 2012-2014.