Speaker
Description
Large experiments, designed and built to answer questions of fundamental physics, have a very high level of frontier technology. One of the challenges we face today, alongside that of advancing knowledge, is to take these technologies out of the research field so that the advantage for society also translates into the country's competitive growth.
Building successful projects does not follow a linear path and involves multiple players with different skills. Researchers are an active part of the process, but the system is increasingly organizing itself towards the creation of dedicated structures that take care of the many steps necessary to bring research products closer to the market: the Technology Transfer model INFN is based on the close synergy between the National Committee for Technology Transfer (NTTC), which has the task of identifying strategies for enhancing knowledge and making the tools available to develop it, and the Technology Transfer Office (TTO), which provides expertise on patenting procedures, definition and protection of intellectual property, support for the creation of academic spin-offs and relationships with companies. In each INFN structure there is also a network of local representatives coordinated directly by the NTTC who promote the scouting of new technologies and proposals coming from the network of researchers.
Over the past few years, the joint and coordinated work of the TT's various structures has facilitated a significant increase in collaborative research initiatives conducted with companies, protection and exploitation of intellectual property, and support of spin-off creation. INFN's most successful stories will be presented.
