Seminar on Commercialisation of Scientific and Technical R&D, Kiev, April 2008

A seminar devoted to the commercialisation of scientific and technical R&D, organized by CNCP, was held in Kiev on April 9-10, 2008. The event was attended by 60 people, representing nuclear centres from Ukraine and Belarus, STCU, specialists employed by commercialisation departments from various research institutes, and British experts.

The main goal of the workshop was to discuss opportunities for the commercial application of scientifi c R&D, as an effective route to economic stability and new job creation. The workshop participants had a chance to explore the experience of British companies. Two success stories of hightechnology commercialisation in KIPT (Kharkov, Ukraine) were presented as examples.

Introductory speeches were given by Anton Naumovets, Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences, Ukraine; Trevor Hayward, Deputy Programme Director “Global Threat Reduction Programme”, BERR, UK; and Ivan Neklyudov, General Director of KIPT, Academy of Sciences, Ukraine.

A presentation on ISIS Enterprise’s activity on the transfer of Oxford University’s R&D, paid special attention to such aspects as technology patenting, and payment of royalties to the scientists who developed the technologies. Scientists are interested in commercialising their technologies, since they get substantial income from this activity, and the University also gets serious benefits.

Douglas Dundonald from Anglo-Scientifi c gave a fascinating report on search, support and funding of start-up knowledge-intensive companies. He gave examples and analyzed individual success stories of how companies developed new businesses, also talking about failed projects.

In his speech Alexander Mazur revealed the peculiarities of commercialisation of scientifi c and technical results in the Paton Electric Welding Institute (Kiev, Ukraine). His organization had travelled all the way from a situation in the early 1990’s where they were obliged to consider selling their technologies for virtually nothing to one where, today, they were engaged in multimillion-dollar contracts with foreign partners.

Issues relating to effective management of intellectual property were raised in the presentation made by Gerard McAnally (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down). The speaker laid special emphasis on providing financial incentives for scientists, to encourage them to make new inventions and to patent new technologies. Pavlo Sheremet from Kiev-Mohyla Business School (Ukraine) discussed marketing and organizational management aspects in his presentation.

The final session of the seminar was dedicated to commercialisation case studies. Steve Sugden made a presentation on the activities of Isotron, which provides material irradiation services. Two success stories of CNCP supported commercialisation in KIPT (Ukraine) were given, involving a report on the manufacture of beryllium foils at STC Beryllium (Ukraine), and the set-up of manufacture of biosoluble in-vivo stents made of UFG magnesium alloys.

Round-table discussions, attended by all speakers, were held at the end of each day of the seminar.

Participants rated the commercialisation seminar as very valuable. It provided opportunities for exchange of opinions and discussion on crucial topics, demonstrating the great potential of commercialising the knowledge, skills, and expertise of nuclear sector specialists, including those laid off from the military sector as a result of defence reforms.

The relevance of the seminar to Belarus and Ukraine was underlined by the presentations on commercialisation in the UK by ISOTRON, Anglo-Scientifi c and ISIS Enterprise, and by the evidence of achievement provided in the development of businesses based on beryllium foils and ultrafine grain stents in KIPT Kharkov.