Participants 11. National Transfer Conference at BUT discussed current issues of knowledge transfer reform

The Brno University of Technology hosted the 11th annual National Transfer Conference on April 9–10, under the auspices of the Transfera.cz association. The annual conference followed up on the January presentation of various measures of the transfer reform and provided a discussion on current issues related to transferring scientific results into practice. The event in Brno also featured the Minister for Science, Research, and Innovation, Helena Langšádlová, who presented the key points of the reform to more than 130 representatives of the expert community. The event was held as part of the 125th anniversary celebrations of BUT.

“The challenge we face is to strengthen the transfer of creative work results into practice and improve the efficiency of their subsequent evaluation. We have amazing results and top-tier knowledge, which we must learn to properly appreciate, identify their commercial potential, present them convincingly, and sell them. Our academic and research staff need competent support in these skills. Let’s use this meeting to share experiences, discuss, and find optimal ways to enhance this support, with the goal of increasing the efficiency of what we call knowledge transfer,” welcomed the conference guests, Rector of BUT, Ladislav Janíček.

“Data related to transfer, such as the number of patent applications, spin-off companies, or the share of private investment in research, indicate that the situation in the Czech Republic is not optimal, but the potential is great,” Minister Langšádlová followed up on the rector’s words in her presentation.

“Among the reasons for preparing the transfer reform is the belief that our scientists can significantly contribute to economic growth and the creation of a high-value-added economy, as well as to public policies based on data and best practices,” the minister listed two main directions of the reform, which she then elaborated on in detail.

However, it is not just about implementing reform measures but also about changing the culture. “Entering the market with a company based on a groundbreaking transfer is always a big risk. That’s why it’s crucial to talk about venture capital investment and to acknowledge that not all of these companies will succeed. This is closely tied to our culture—compared to Americans, for example, we are not used to taking risks. This mindset needs to change, and we must realize that a certain level of risk is normal in this field,” Langšádlová stated.

This shift will also be necessary given the expected reduction in public funding in the system, which will require finding new sources of financing for science and research. The reform supports indirect research funding through tax deductions. Specialized funds will also play an increasingly important role. One such fund, a pilot investment fund for technology transfer in the strategic area of AI, was introduced at the conference by Jan Klesla from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The project is being developed through a government investment designated to support venture capital in the form of a fund-of-funds managed by the European Investment Fund. This concept, which has been successfully implemented in countries like Israel, is primarily focused on supporting university research, with its profits intended for reinvestment.

In the afternoon, three discussion panels followed. The first panel featured Minister Helena Langšádlová, BUT Rector Ladislav Janíček, Chairman of the Board of the Regional Chamber of Commerce Brno, Ladislav Chodák, and Head of R&D at onsemi CZ, Michal Lorenc. Moderated by Eva Janouškovcová from Transfera.cz, the discussion covered the perception, direction, and impact of transfer reform, as well as the early stages of transfer in the Czech Republic.

In the next panel, hosted by David Uhlíř from JIC, guests with extensive experience in research commercialization shared their perspectives on its practical aspects. Veronika Štěpánková from JIC, Petra Fousková from HARBER IP, Jan Neuman from NenoVision, Filip Fingl from IPL Ventures, and Tomáš Vystavěl from Thermo Fisher Scientific discussed the prerequisites for a well-functioning commercialization system, the importance of patents for business, the significance of market research, and the challenges of prototyping.

The final panel offered a lively discussion between conference participants and representatives of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic and the cabinet of the Minister for Science, Research, and Innovation. This discussion provided an opportunity to publicly address different aspects of the transfer reform. The focal points included the role of transfer offices and a catalog of best practice tools, prepared by the minister’s cabinet based on input from transfer offices.

The next steps and measures related to the reform will continue to be implemented in collaboration with the Transfera.cz association.

Conference program on the BUT website



The National Transfer Conference was held as part of the 125th anniversary of BUT