Vladimir Marik - Czech Technical Univ - Stanford - Feb 14 2011
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Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Technology Transfer and Spin-offsat
Czech Technical University(CTU)
Vladimír MAŘÍK
Department of CyberneticsEU Center of Excellence
Czech Technical University in Prague Prague, Czech Republic
http://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Established in 1707
2nd oldest Technical University in Europe
24.000 students
A. Einstein, E. Mach, N. Tesla
Czech Technical University in Prague
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
CTU position in rankings
QS World University Rankings 2010 - Engineering & Technology
1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States
2 Stanford University United States
3 University of California, Berkeley (UCB) United States
120 Duke University, United States
121 Czech Technical University In Prague Czech Republic
122 École des Ponts, ParisTech France
123= University of Amsterdam A* Netherlands
123= University of Southern California (USC) United States
"Where do we stand globally"
#2 in former Eastern Europe & Russia (after #1 96 Lomonosov Moscow State U.)
#2 in Central Europe (after #1 98 TU Vienna)
We are trying hard (Technology and Engineering ranking):
CTU: 121 (2010), 171 (2009), 228 (2008) , 359(2007).
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Research orientation:- Artificial Intelligence - Machine Learning & Robotics- Computer Vision & Perception- Biomedical Engineering
155 academic staff members (110 FTE): 20 faculty members 82 research fellows and 53 Ph.d. students
Mission Objectives: Perform internationally recognized research, build teams of research
excellence Support industrial acceptance of research Demonstrate potential of industry-university cooperation Undergraduate and graduate education in the field of cybernetics
EU Center of Excellence since 2000
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Selected Industrial Contracts and Grants
Rockwell Automation: Distributed artificial intelligence
BAE Systems: UAV collision avoidance systems
Medtronic: SW for pacemakers and other medical devices
Honeywell: Observing people with video cameras
TOYOTA Motor Corporation: Computer vision - blue sky research
Volkswagen: Image processing from a moving car
DENSO Automotive: Agent-based on-board car diagnostics
CADENCE Design Systems: Multi-agent modeling of IC design process
Samsung: Reconstruction of images
Google: Image-based search, security systems
Texas Instruments: Control and interfacing of digital cameras
Hitachi: Image processing and face recognition
Siemens: Planning and scheduling for in-store logistics
US Air Force Research Lab, U.S.Navy Research, U.S. Army, NASA: Deployment of Agent-based technology
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Department Know-How Transfer Vehicles
Start-up and Spin-off Companies:
CERTICON, a.s.: (100+ employees): Software Development, Network Integration Services, Software Testing, Predictive Algorithms, Planning and Scheduling, ASIC Design
ProTyS, a.s.: (43) Real-time Control Software Development & Testing, Intelligent Control, Fuzzy Logics
NeoVision s.r.o.: (21): Computer Vision
Eydea, s.r.o. (5): Image Processing
Cognitive Security, s.r.o.(2): Network Security
AgentFly Technologies, s.r.o. (2): Air Traffic Control
National Center for Applied Cybernetics (Competence Center):
CTU, TU Brno, WBU, Academy of Science, CertiCon, Neovision+ 7 other companies.
The main goal: Technology Transfer, Spreading Excellence
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Czech Institute of Informatics and Cybernetics
• Center of Research Excellence
• 36.000 sqm, 450 researchers
• Incubator (15-20 spin-offs), representative offices of large companies (IBM, Honeywell, Google, Microsoft..)
• State-of-the-art, competitive and self-sustainable institution
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Technology Transfer
Technology Transfer Models
- Contracts
- Patents
- Licensing
- Joint Research Labs
- Start-ups (e.g. CertiCon, a.s.)
- Spin-offs (e.g. Cognitive Security, s.r.o.)
- Centers for Technology Transfer (Competence Centers)
- Incubators
- Technology Parks
None of the models can be implemented without efforts of both the stakeholders (university and industry/enterpreneur)
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Industrial Stakeholders of the Technology Transfer
AT Departments of the Headquarters of strong international companies or their local branches (Honeywell, Rockwell, IBM, Logica, Toyota, Denso): some of them decided to build a local AT branch (e.g. Honeywell, Rockwell Automation or CA) to leverage the “local” research results
US governmental agencies/services, like US AFRL, ONR, NASA, EPA, FAA, who try to fund/co-fund early stages of very promising research activities
Venture capitalists, usually coming from US, Israel, lately also from India
Local SMEs, e.g. SPEL, Cygni, AWIK, which are looking for governmental support to arrange the transfer
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Industrial Stakeholders of the Technology Transfer
Czech companies are usually quite weak and they don’t understand
the need in financial contribution to ensure a smooth technology transfer
that knowledge and IPR play the role of commercial commodities which enter the market
All IPR gained using governmental or public funding belongs to the University, only the specific part of IPR resulting from private/industrial funding belongs to the body which funded it
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Technology Transfer Models
Business Contracts
- Short-term or long-term
- IPR fully owns the body who provides funding (= industry)
Patents
- no sense to patent in the Czech Republic
- we usually patent in the US using US lawyers, and then extend the patent to cover EU countries and/or Japan
- some patents are joint patents with foreign companies
- in the Czech Republic: industrial pattern is a simple form of invention registration and provides good protection
- in general: patents are expensive and provide good protection only in the case you are really ready to invest enough money (>EUR 1.5 mil) to fight and beat your competitors
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Technology Transfer Models
Licensing
- currently the most efficient, fast and transparent vehicle for a technology transfer preferred by the University
- the University usually asks for
(i) a small fixed yearly fee, and
(ii) 5-10% of revenue
Joint Research Labs
- very efficient in the case of a long-term cooperation with a strong world leader (Microsoft, Cisco, IBM)
- IPR usually shared by the University and Company, or the Company buys it out
- could potentially be converted into a company subsidiary (this did happen in the case of Rockwell Automation Research Center, Honeywell Technology Center, CA Development Center)
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Technology Transfer Models
Start-ups
- built by professors as long-term tools for University-Industry transfer – to bridge the gap
- developers and engineers are employed to ensure various phases of the product life cycle (namely design, implementation and testing) exploring innovative ideas provided by the University
- based on licensing of the University IPRs
- the main difficulty: to properly manage the staff flow between the company and the University
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
CertiCon
• Founded in 1996
• Headquarters in Prague, branch in Pilsen, Vienna-
Austria & San Jose-US (US MAC)
• 100+ SW Engineers & Researchers
• Dun & Bradstreet rating 1A1, DUNS 36-690-9096
• ISO 9001 certification UKAS, ANSI-RAB (BVQI)
• Business focus in consultancy, engineering and
outsourcing services:
• life and mission-critical systems
• decision support and productivity systems
• applied research
• ASIC design, verification and testing
• Revenue $ 8 mil in 2010
• Main customers: Medtronic, Teradyne, Cadence, IBM,
Bosch, Frequentis, Grundfos
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Technology Transfer Models
Spin-offs
- built to develop a sound idea into a specific product
- oriented to EXIT
- based on licensing of the University IPRs
- they suffer from lack of money
- they look for pre-seed investors and seed capital
- the main difficulty: to find good managers and business oriented leaders (professors and researchers can play this role successfully in exceptional cases, only)
Incubators needed – we are in the initial phase:
- CTU Media Lab
- eClub: joint activity of CTU Media Lab & Credo Ventures
- Linkages with Plug-and-play Center are being built
- Part of the Czech Institute of Informatics and Cybernetics
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Cognitive Security Start-up
Mission: Providing attack intelligence and last line of defense against highly sophisticated attackers
Main Product: CognitiveOne is based on the CAMNEP intrusion detection algorithm, developed at CTU. The solution in parts funded by the U.S. Army, CERDEC under a grant W91 1NF-08-1-0250.
The technology spun-off into Cognitive Security s.r.o. by licensing from CTU
History-in-brief:
August 2009 - Cognitive Security was established, CertiCon’s pre-seed funding
January 2010 - CognitiveOne launched as commercial product
April 2010 - Cognitive Security opens branch office in Silicon Valley, (CA, USA), with the support of Czechinvest
November 2010 - Second version of its CognitiveOne product
February 2011 – Talks with a strong investor – Term Sheet to be signed
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Centers and Technology Parks
Technology Transfer Centers (Competence Centers):
- efficient if very narrowly focused towards specific technology
- very good experience with virtual competence centers
Technology Parks:
There are 21 of them in the Czech Republic, 2 of them useful
Not very efficient, they don’t satisfy the needs of technology transfer, very bureaucratic
Very dangerous trend: EU funding used to build new buildings for technology parks in regions (out of the capital city of Prague)
CTU Technology Innovation Center:
– 4 administrators paid by the University,
– 4.000 sq feet of space
– provides space, courses
– no links with enterpreneurs, venture capitalists
– no guidance, no motivation
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Government Financing Schemes
The Government Financing Schemes for the early stages of the spin-of companies mainly aimed at support of competence centers and technology parks and explore – as a rule – the structural EU funding for this purpose. These schemes provide just an indirect support to spin-off and start-ups.
New trend (under implementation) in 2011: Direct support to spin-offs and start-ups:
Pre-seed fund - $ 30 mil.
Seed fund - $ 70 mil.
These funds will be managed by experienced venture capitalists who promised to add $ 50 mil.
CTU: University Challenge Fund of $ 250 k to provide pre-seed capital
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Professors and Spin-offs
There are no principle obstacles to form a spin-off by professors, CTU supports their initiatives, but certain rules should be followed:
Their business and academic activities should be clearly separated
Either licencies should be paid (5-10% of revenue and/or exit price) or shares of the company (20-30%) are awarded to the University for exchange of IPR
Main obstacles:
Some professors not motivated enough, wanting to live in their academic shells
No reasonable advice provided at critical junctions (opportunity recognition, business visions and plans, no links to experienced spin-off advisors)
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Conclusions
Technology and innovative solutions available, many results cannot be absorbed by local industry
University management support to technology transfer provided, very friendly atmosphere/environment
Motivation and enthusiasm of researchers – in general - present, funding is missing
There is no efficient University infrastructure and environment to absorb the funding (if there is any) in an appropriate way
Lack of tradition and experience in venture investments
We are trying to find the optimal methods for technology transfers and spin-offs
Licensing, start-ups and spin-offs are the most popular technology transfer methods
Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University
Conclusions
Government Financing Schemes are starting to directly help to spin-offs financially:
Czechinvest governmental agency: has selected the Plug-and-Play Center as a place to learn, helps to bring spin-offs to Silicon Valley to gather experience
Support to private companies acting as technology transfer bodies –privatization of the technology transfer area strongly needed