An expert visit – Entrepreneurial University and the experience from the Netherlands (EF-Trans project)

During December 28 – 30, 2011 the BUT welcomed Mr Jacques Pronk. The visit was enabled by BUT participation in the EF-Trans project and was co-ordinated by the Technology Transfer Office. The objective of the collaboration with the distinguished foreign experts within EF-Trans project is to gain best practise examples, which should serve as an inspiration for further development of technology transfer.

The agenda concentrated especially on questions about how to support collaboration with industries and how to support creation of university spin offs. The first meeting introduced our university and summed up challenges and opportunities that our university and TTO face. In the afternoon the meeting focused on securing an effective communication with companies and ended up in a set of tips, suggestions on what should contain a website dedicated to support collaboration of university and companies. During the second day TT managers worked together with Mr Pronk on two technology transfer cases. In the afternoon discussion about foreign experience and current trends in the academic spin offs development. During the last day attention focused on preparing suggestions for pilot actions as an inspiration for TTOs activities in 2011.

We consider the visit inspiring and hope that the collaboration will continue in the forthcoming year.

Mr Jacques Pronk has a wide experience with enterprise Creation and Development in the Business and Innovation Centres (BIC). He is a past President and past Vice-President of the European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN). Mr Pronk participated on running a real estate Fund, a venture capital fund and launched a seed- and early-stage risk-taking fund. In the Netherlands he is acting as an informal investor. He has taken part also in implementing government and EU programmes concerning e.g. DG Enlargement, DG Regio and DG Enterprise projects.