Zbornik 23. mednarodne multikonference INFORMACIJSKA DRUŻBA Zvezek E Proceedings of the 23rd International Multiconference .si INFORMATION SOCIETY Volume E .ijsI S http://is 13. Mednarodna konferenca o prenosu tehnologij • 13. ITTC 20 13th International Technology Transfer Conference • 13 ITTC 20 Uredili / Edited byŠpela Stres, Robert Blatnik 8. oktober 2020 / 8 October 2020 Ljubljana, Slovenia Zbornik 23. mednarodne multikonference INFORMACIJSKA DRUŽBA – IS 2020 Zvezek E Proceedings of the 23rd International Multiconference INFORMATION SOCIETY – IS 2020 Volume E 13. Mednarodna konferenca o prenosu tehnologij – 13. ITTC 13th International Technology Transfer Conference – 13 ITTC Uredila / Edited by Špela Stres, Robert Blatnik http://is.ijs.si 8. oktober 2020 / 8 October 2020 Ljubljana, Slovenia Urednika: Špela Stres Center za prenos tehnologij in inovacij Institut »Jožef Stefan«, Ljubljana Robert Blatnik Center za prenos tehnologij in inovacij Institut »Jožef Stefan«, Ljubljana Založnik: Institut »Jožef Stefan«, Ljubljana Priprava zbornika: Mitja Lasič, Vesna Lasič, Lana Zemljak Oblikovanje naslovnice: Vesna Lasič Dostop do e-publikacije: http://library.ijs.si/Stacks/Proceedings/InformationSociety Ljubljana, oktober 2020 Informacijska družba ISSN 2630-371X Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani COBISS.SI-ID=33874179 ISBN 978-961-264-205-1 (epub) ISBN 978-961-264-206-8 (pdf) PREDGOVOR MULTIKONFERENCI INFORMACIJSKA DRUŽBA 2020 Triindvajseta multikonferenca Informacijska družba (http://is.ijs.si) je doživela polovično zmanjšanje zaradi korone. Zahvala za preživetje gre tistim predsednikom konferenc, ki so se kljub prvi pandemiji modernega sveta pogumno odločili, da bodo izpeljali konferenco na svojem področju. Korona pa skoraj v ničemer ni omejila neverjetne rasti IKTja, informacijske družbe, umetne inteligence in znanosti nasploh, ampak nasprotno – kar naenkrat je bilo večino aktivnosti potrebno opraviti elektronsko in IKT so dokazale, da je elektronsko marsikdaj celo bolje kot fizično. Po drugi strani pa se je pospešil razpad družbenih vrednot, zaupanje v znanost in razvoj. Celo Flynnov učinek – merjenje IQ na svetovni populaciji – kaže, da ljudje ne postajajo čedalje bolj pametni. Nasprotno - čedalje več ljudi verjame, da je Zemlja ploščata, da bo cepivo za korono škodljivo, ali da je korona škodljiva kot navadna gripa (v resnici je desetkrat bolj). Razkorak med rastočim znanjem in vraževerjem se povečuje. Letos smo v multikonferenco povezali osem odličnih neodvisnih konferenc. Zajema okoli 160 večinoma spletnih predstavitev, povzetkov in referatov v okviru samostojnih konferenc in delavnic in 300 obiskovalcev. Prireditev bodo spremljale okrogle mize in razprave ter posebni dogodki, kot je svečana podelitev nagrad – seveda večinoma preko spleta. Izbrani prispevki bodo izšli tudi v posebni številki revije Informatica (http://www.informatica.si/), ki se ponaša s 44-letno tradicijo odlične znanstvene revije. Multikonferenco Informacijska družba 2020 sestavljajo naslednje samostojne konference: • Etika in stroka • Interakcija človek računalnik v informacijski družbi • Izkopavanje znanja in podatkovna skladišča • Kognitivna znanost • Ljudje in okolje • Mednarodna konferenca o prenosu tehnologij • Slovenska konferenca o umetni inteligenci • Vzgoja in izobraževanje v informacijski družbi Soorganizatorji in podporniki konference so različne raziskovalne institucije in združenja, med njimi tudi ACM Slovenija, SLAIS, DKZ in druga slovenska nacionalna akademija, Inženirska akademija Slovenije (IAS). V imenu organizatorjev konference se zahvaljujemo združenjem in institucijam, še posebej pa udeležencem za njihove dragocene prispevke in priložnost, da z nami delijo svoje izkušnje o informacijski družbi. Zahvaljujemo se tudi recenzentom za njihovo pomoč pri recenziranju. V 2020 bomo petnajstič podelili nagrado za življenjske dosežke v čast Donalda Michieja in Alana Turinga. Nagrado Michie-Turing za izjemen življenjski prispevek k razvoju in promociji informacijske družbe je prejela prof. dr. Lidija Zadnik Stirn. Priznanje za dosežek leta pripada Programskemu svetu tekmovanja ACM Bober. Podeljujemo tudi nagradi »informacijska limona« in »informacijska jagoda« za najbolj (ne)uspešne poteze v zvezi z informacijsko družbo. Limono je prejela »Neodzivnost pri razvoju elektronskega zdravstvenega kartona«, jagodo pa Laboratorij za bioinformatiko, Fakulteta za računalništvo in informatiko, Univerza v Ljubljani. Čestitke nagrajencem! Mojca Ciglarič, predsednik programskega odbora Matjaž Gams, predsednik organizacijskega odbora i FOREWORD INFORMATION SOCIETY 2020 The 23rd Information Society Multiconference (http://is.ijs.si) was halved due to COVID-19. The multiconference survived due to the conference presidents that bravely decided to continue with their conference despite the first pandemics in the modern era. The COVID-19 pandemics did not decrease the growth of ICT, information society, artificial intelligence and science overall, quite on the contrary – suddenly most of the activities had to be performed by ICT and often it was more efficient than in the old physical way. But COVID-19 did increase downfall of societal norms, trust in science and progress. Even the Flynn effect – measuring IQ all over the world – indicates that an average Earthling is becoming less smart and knowledgeable. Contrary to general belief of scientists, the number of people believing that the Earth is flat is growing. Large number of people are weary of the COVID-19 vaccine and consider the COVID-19 consequences to be similar to that of a common flu dispute empirically observed to be ten times worst. The Multiconference is running parallel sessions with around 160 presentations of scientific papers at twelve conferences, many round tables, workshops and award ceremonies, and 300 attendees. Selected papers will be published in the Informatica journal with its 44-years tradition of excellent research publishing. The Information Society 2020 Multiconference consists of the following conferences: • Cognitive Science • Data Mining and Data Warehouses • Education in Information Society • Human-Computer Interaction in Information Society • International Technology Transfer Conference • People and Environment • Professional Ethics • Slovenian Conference on Artificial Intelligence The Multiconference is co-organized and supported by several major research institutions and societies, among them ACM Slovenia, i.e. the Slovenian chapter of the ACM, SLAIS, DKZ and the second national engineering academy, the Slovenian Engineering Academy. In the name of the conference organizers, we thank all the societies and institutions, and particularly all the participants for their valuable contribution and their interest in this event, and the reviewers for their thorough reviews. For the fifteenth year, the award for life-long outstanding contributions will be presented in memory of Donald Michie and Alan Turing. The Michie-Turing award was given to Prof. Dr. Lidija Zadnik Stirn for her life-long outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of information society in our country. In addition, a recognition for current achievements was awarded to the Program Council of the competition ACM Bober. The information lemon goes to the “Unresponsiveness in the development of the electronic health record”, and the information strawberry to the Bioinformatics Laboratory, Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana. Congratulations! Mojca Ciglarič, Programme Committee Chair Matjaž Gams, Organizing Committee Chair ii KONFERENČNI ODBORI CONFERENCE COMMITTEES International Programme Committee Organizing Committee Vladimir Bajic, South Africa Matjaž Gams, chair Heiner Benking, Germany Mitja Luštrek Se Woo Cheon, South Korea Lana Zemljak Howie Firth, UK Vesna Koricki Olga Fomichova, Russia Marjetka Šprah Vladimir Fomichov, Russia Mitja Lasič Vesna Hljuz Dobric, Croatia Blaž Mahnič Alfred Inselberg, Israel Jani Bizjak Jay Liebowitz, USA Tine Kolenik Huan Liu, Singapore Henz Martin, Germany Marcin Paprzycki, USA Claude Sammut, Australia Jiri Wiedermann, Czech Republic Xindong Wu, USA Yiming Ye, USA Ning Zhong, USA Wray Buntine, Australia Bezalel Gavish, USA Gal A. Kaminka, Israel Mike Bain, Australia Michela Milano, Italy Derong Liu, Chicago, USA prof. Toby Walsh, Australia Programme Committee Mojca Ciglarič, chair Andrej Gams Vladislav Rajkovič Bojan Orel, co-chair Matjaž Gams Grega Repovš Franc Solina, Mitja Luštrek Ivan Rozman Viljan Mahnič, Marko Grobelnik Niko Schlamberger Cene Bavec, Nikola Guid Špela Stres Tomaž Kalin, Marjan Heričko Stanko Strmčnik Jozsef Györkös, Borka Jerman Blažič Džonova Jurij Šilc Tadej Bajd Gorazd Kandus Jurij Tasič Jaroslav Berce Urban Kordeš Denis Trček Mojca Bernik Marjan Krisper Andrej Ule Marko Bohanec Andrej Kuščer Tanja Urbančič Ivan Bratko Jadran Lenarčič Boštjan Vilfan Andrej Brodnik Borut Likar Baldomir Zajc Dušan Caf Janez Malačič Blaž Zupan Saša Divjak Olga Markič Boris Žemva Tomaž Erjavec Dunja Mladenič Leon Žlajpah Bogdan Filipič Franc Novak iii iv KAZALO / TABLE OF CONTENTS 13. Mednarodna Konferenca o prenosu tehnologij (13.ITTC) / 13th International Technology Transfer Conference (13 ITTC)............................................................................................................................................. 1 PREDGOVOR / FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................. 3 ORGANIZACIJSKI ODBOR, PRIDRUŽENI PARTNERJI IN SPONZORJI / ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, ASSOCIATED PARTNERS AND FINANCERS ................................................................................................. 7 A decade of knowledge transfer in Slovenia / Stres Špela, Pal Levin .................................................................. 15 Patents on plasma treatments in agriculture / Recek Nina, Gselman Peter, Krajnc Mitja, Kozole Blaž, Rupnik Maja, Korošec Tamara, Primc Gregor .............................................................................................................. 24 Rare earth-based permanent magnets: A proposed way to the circular economy / Žužek Rožman Kristina, Xu Xuan, Kobe Spomenka, Tomše Tomaž, Podmiljšak Benjamin, Šturm Sašo ................................................... 29 Real-time fluorescence lifetime acquisition system / Pestotnik Rok, Dolenec Rok, Seljak Andrej, Mrak Matej .. 33 Regulated toxicity-testing: Spinning out a company in a rapidly changing market / Štrancar Janez, Stres Špela .......................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Status quo of computer-implemented inventions in Slovenia and EU / Fric Urška, Tomić Starc Nina ................ 43 Strategic intellectual property management system for universities and scientific organizations for efficient technology transfer / Khvorostyanaya Anna Sergeevna ................................................................................. 47 Strategic research and innovation partnerships as enablers of technology transfer / Bučar Maja, Lipnik Aleš ... 50 The awareness on environmental protection issues as reflected through the inventions / Pal Levin .................. 53 Transfer of knowledge and skills in STEM: Exploring and promoting digital analysis skills - Testing optimal conditions of X-ray irradiation / Pestotnik Stres Svit ....................................................................................... 60 DODATEK / APPENDIKS .......................................................................................................................................... 65 INTRODUCTION AND AIM OF THE CONFERENCE .......................................................................................... 66 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 70 OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME .................................................................................................................... 72 WELCOME ADDRESSES ..................................................................................................................................... 73 KEYNOTE SPEECHES ......................................................................................................................................... 74 Does the relation between the technology transfer and business education system influence the transfer efficiency?.................................................................................................................................................... 75 How to maximize the impact of technology transfer funnel at TTOs? .............................................................. 77 BEST INNOVATION WITH COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: PITCH COMPETITION .............................................. 79 Course of the competition................................................................................................................................. 80 Abstracts of the Competing Teams and their Technologies.................................................................................. 82 Contact-based, leaching-free antimicrobial textile ........................................................................................... 83 DiTeR: Dynamic thermal line rating software ................................................................................................... 84 Single step production of Bio-based methacrylic acid for plastic and coating industries ................................. 85 A scalable method for eco-benign destruction of waterborne microorganisms ............................................... 86 Enhanced cross-differential dynamic microscopy. A DLS-like particle characterization technique for cost- effective and accurate analysis of complex systems .................................................................................. 87 A New Paradigm on Plastic Waste »PLASTICS - the Problem or the Solution« ............................................. 88 Award announcement: Best innovation with commercial potential ....................................................................... 89 Award announcement: WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy .............................................................................................. 90 Award announcement: WIPO Medal for Inventors ................................................................................................ 91 Research2Business meetings (R2B meetings) ..................................................................................................... 92 CONFERENCE CEREMONY ................................................................................................................................ 94 Overview of the Conference Ceremony ........................................................................................................... 95 13.ITTC Award Speech .................................................................................................................................... 96 Indeks avtorjev / Author index ................................................................................................................................ 97 Indeks avtorjev nerecenziranih prispevkov v dodatku / Index of authors of unreviewed contributions in the appendix ............................................................................................................................................................... 99 v vi Zbornik 23. mednarodne multikonference INFORMACIJSKA DRUŽBA – IS 2020 Zvezek E Proceedings of the 23rd International Multiconference INFORMATION SOCIETY – IS 2020 Volume E 13. Mednarodna Konferenca o prenosu tehnologij – 13. ITTC 13th International Technology Transfer Conference – 13 ITTC Uredila / Edited by Špela Stres, Robert Blatnik http://ittc.ijs.si 8. oktober 2020 / 8 October 2020 Ljubljana, Slovenia 1 2 PREDGOVOR Spoštovana ministrica, spoštovani direktor, dragi kolegi, prijatelji, sodelavci pri prenosu znanja in tehnologije! Prisrčna dobrodošlica tudi iz Centra za prenos tehnologij in inovacij na Institutu »Jožef Stefan«. To je četrti dogodek Konzorcija za prenos tehnologij v Sloveniji, ki ga sestavlja 8 pisarn za prenos tehnologij. Sodelujemo že skoraj 3 leta. Hvaležni smo Ministrstvu za izobraževanje, znanost in šport, da je priznalo poklic za prenos tehnologije in zagotovilo petletni projekt za podporo našim dejavnostim. To sodelovanje praznujemo. Rada bi se zahvalila vsem 8 partnerjem v konzorciju, ki so prispevali po svojih zmožnostih. Lepa hvala tudi ostalim konferenčnim partnerjem, ki so skušali prispevati po najboljših močeh. Prav tako bi se rada zahvalila našemu direktorju za njegovo stalno podporo v vseh letih. Čeprav smo bili pogosto prepuščeni svojim zmožnostim, smo jih smeli uporabljati v korist inštituta in tehnološkega prenosa na inštitutu. Tudi ta konferenca je rezultat tega popustljivega okolja, ki je podprlo razvoj vseh področij. To je 13. Mednarodna konferenca o prenosu tehnologij po vrsti. Od nekdaj se je prilagajala duhu časa, saj je vključevala ugledne mednarodne govornike, predstavitve industrijskih tehnologij in nagrade za najboljše inovacije raziskovalnih organizacij. Te nagrade so bila skozi leta podeljena več različnim slovenskim raziskovalnim institucijam, od katerih so mnoge sedanji partnerji našega konzorcija TTO. Skozi vsa leta je konferenca vključevala tudi B2R srečanja, na katerih so raziskovalci in podjetja lahko razpravljali o konkretnih vprašanjih. Vključevala je okrogle mize za soočanje različnih mnenj in raziskovalne predstavitve, ki so prikazale vrhunske slovenske znanstvene rezultate. Konferenca je tako raznolika in prav je tako, saj poskuša vključiti vse segmente, ki so ključni za izvedbo znanja in prenos tehnologije. Vendar se še vedno najdejo novi izzivi, s katerimi se lahko spoprimemo. Danes bo Svetovni urad za intelektualno lastnino na tem dogodku podelil dve mednarodni nagradi - IP Enterprise Trophy in medaljo WIPO za izumitelje. Zahvaljujemo se WIPO za prijazno podporo in soorganizacijo dogodka ter se zahvaljujemo slovenskemu uradu za intelektualno lastnino, ki je to sodelovanje omogočil. Druga novost konference je rubrika z znanstvenimi prispevki o prenosu tehnologij. Pomembna je, saj si prizadevamo izboljšati učinkovitost prenosa tehnologije. Pri teh prizadevanjih je potreben objektiven pristop, ki se ponuja z znanstvenim načinom razmišljanja - spodbuja analizo, razprave na podlagi podatkov in se podaja v neznano, kjer še vedno veliko vprašanj ostaja neodgovorjenih. Na primer, predlagani novi slovenski zakon o raziskavah, razvoju in inovacijah uvaja nove spodbude za sodelovanje z industrijo in sodelovanje v projektih EU. Toda zakaj bi bolj spodbujali sodelovanje v projektih EU kot sodelovanje v industrijskih projektih? Kaj natančno šteje za sodelovanje z industrijo? Kakšna naj bi bila odslej vloga spodbud, ki temeljijo na 3 komercializaciji, ki so bile na voljo do zdaj? To so pomembna vprašanja, na katera je treba odgovoriti pred izvajanjem nove zakonodaje. Prav tako je v novi zakonodaji mogoče zaznati dejavnosti prenosa tehnologije, kar je zelo pozitivno sporočilo. Ampak, ali zakon dejansko opisuje TTO z vrsto strokovnjakov? Ali pa je treba financiranje med raziskovalci na tanko razporediti, da bi se sami ukvarjali s svojimi odnosi med industrijo in akademskim svetom? Kot je povedala gospa ministrica, je ministrstvo pripravljeno podpreti izvajanje instrumenta TTO tudi v naslednjem finančnem obdobju in to pozdravljamo. Ministrstvo pozivamo, naj v predlagani novi zakonodaji jasno formalizira TTO in naj pravočasno predstavi svoje konkretne načrte za poklic prenosa tehnologije v Sloveniji, da bodo TTO neprekinjeno delovale. Naj na koncu poudarim še, da sta znanost in prenos tehnologije dolgoročni dejavnosti. Naši današnji rezultati v glavnem niso v našo korist takoj, ampak v korist družbi, v kateri želimo, da živijo naši otroci. Zato moramo visoko ceniti duh skupnosti, si prizadevati za svojo popolnost, hkrati pa pomagati tudi drugim, da jo dosežejo . Hvala vam. Dr. Špela Stres, MBA, LLM, Vodja Centra za prenos tehnologij in inovacij, Institut Jožef Stefan, vodja organizacijskega odbora konference 13. ITTC 4 FOREWORD Dear Minister, dear Director, dear colleagues, friends, co-workers of transfer of knowledge and technology! A kind welcome also from the Center of technology transfer and innovation at the Jožef Stefan Institute. This is the 4th event of the Consortium of Knowledge and Tech-transfer in Slovenia, comprising 8 Tech-Transfer Offices, which have been collaborating now for almost 3 years. We are grateful to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports to have acknowledged the tech-transfer profession and secured a 5-year project to support our activities. We celebrate this collaboration. I would like to thank all 8 partners in the consortium, each has contributed according to their capacity. Warm thanks also to the other conference partners who tried to contribute in any way possible for them. I would also like to thank our director for his continouing support throughout the years. Although we were mainly left to our own devices, we were allowed to use them for the benefit of the institute and the tech-transfer at the institute. Also this conference is a result of this permissive environment, who supported development of all fields. This is the 13th International Technology Transfer Conference in a row. It has always adjusted to the spirit of the time, by including distinguished international speakers, Pitch Presentations of Industry ready Technologies, and the Awards for best innovation from research organizations. These awards have been through the years awarded to several different slovenian research institutions, many of them current partners of our TTO consortium. Throughout the years the Conference also included the B2R Meetings where researchers and businesses could discuss concrete issues. It included Round Tables to confront different opinions and Research Presentations to show off with the superb Slovenian scientific results. The Conference is so diverse, and it is so, because it tries to incorporate all segments, crucial for the execution of the knowledge and tech-transfer. However, there are still new territories to venture to. Today, the World Intellectual Property Office will bestow two international Awards at this event – IP Enterprise Trophy and WIPO Medal for Inventors. We thank WIPO for their kind support and co-organization of the event, and we extend our gratitude to the Slovenian IP Office, who made this collaboration possible. Another novelty of the conference is the Section with scientific contributions on tech-transfer. The section is important, as we strive to improve efficiency in tech-transfer. In that effort an objective approach is needed, and it is offered through the scientific way of thinking – it encourages analysis, data based discussions, and venturing into the unknown, where still many questions lay unanswered. For example. The proposed new Slovenian Law on research, development and innovation introduces new incentives for cooperation with the industry and for collaboration in the EU projects. But why a higher impetus for EU than for industry project collaboration incentives? What exactly counts as a cooperation with the industry? What should from now on be the role 5 of the commercialization based incentives that were in place so far? These are important questions to be answered before the implementation of the new legislation. Also, one can sense the tech-transfer activities in the new legislation, which is a very positive message. But, is the law actually outlining a TTO with a set of experts? Or is the financing to be thinly spread among the researchers to deal themselves alone with their industry-academia relations? As the Lady Minister said, the Ministry is willing to support the implementation of he TTO instrument also in the next financing period and this is a very positive message. We urge the Ministry to clearly formalize the TTOs in the proposed new legislation, and to lay out their concrete plans for the tech-transfer profession in Slovenia in time for the TTOs to operate continously. To conclude, science and tech-transfer are long term activities. The results we produce today are mainly not for our own immediate benefit, but for the society we want our children to live in. Thus we need to value highly the spirit of the community, strive for our own perfection, but also assist others in reaching it. Thank you. Dr. Špela Stres, MBA, LLM, Head of the Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation, Jožef Stefan Institute, Head of Organizing Committee of the 13 ITTC 6 ORGANIZACIJSKI ODBOR, PRIDRUŽENI PARTNERJI IN SPONZORJI / ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, ASSOCIATED PARTNERS AND FINANCERS The main organizer of the 13th ITTC Conference is Jožef Stefan Institute. The organizing committee: Dr. Špela Stres, MBA, LLM, Jožef Stefan Institute Doc. dr. Urška Fric, Faculty of Information Studies in Novo Mesto Robert Blatnik, M. Sc., Jožef Stefan Institute Marjeta Trobec, M. Sc., Jožef Stefan Institute The 13th ITTC Conference is organized in collaboration with the International multiconference Information Society (IS2020). The 13th ITTC Co-organization partners are: Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 7 Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia SPIRIT Slovenia - Public Agency for Entrepreneurship, Internationalization, Foreign Investments and Technology Faculty of Information Studies Novo mesto Agricultural Institute of Slovenia Slovenian association of technology transfer professionals (SI-TT) The 13th ITTC Associated partners are: National Institute of Chemistry National Institute of Biology 8 University of Primorska University of Maribor University of Ljubljana Scientific research centre Bistra RDA Koroška - Regional Development Agency for Koroška Regional Development Agency Posavje Development Centre Novo mesto University of Malta 9 Center for Technology Transfer, University of Belgrade SIS EGIZ Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins IP Management Poland GIS – Transfer Center Foundation Slovenian Innovation Hub - European Economic Interest Grouping, SIH EEIG 10 The Research-to-business meetings at the 13th ITTC Conference were co-organized in collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network partners: Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia SPIRIT Slovenia - Public Agency for Entrepreneurship, Internationalization, Fore­ign Investments and Technology University of Primorska University of Maribor Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia Area Science Park Austrian Research Promotion Agency 11 Innovation Center of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Belgrade Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje Fundación para el conocimiento madri+d AECIM - Empresas del Metal de Madrid Fundació Universitat-Empresa de les Illes Balears (FUEIB) Tera Tehnopolis Not Enterprise Europe Network partners: ITC – Innovation Technology Cluster DIH Agrifood – Digital Innovation Hub for Agriculture and Food production 12 The Conference is co-financed by: Consortium for Technology Transfer Enterprise Europe Network 13 14 A decade of Knowledge Transfer in Slovenia Desetletje prenosa znanja v Sloveniji Špela Stres Levin Pal Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation Jožef Stefan Institute Jožef Stefan Institute Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana Spela.Stres@ijs.si Levin.Pal@ijs.si ABSTRACT periods in which the Slovenian governments attempted to In this paper, we describe the last decade of the Knowledge manage IPR collectively, using different mechanisms, through Transfer development in Slovenia. Knowledge transfer is based Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). These were the periods of on the development of legislative tools, governmental financial 2009-12, 2013-2014 and 207-2019 (the instrument is active tools and performance of the Public Research Organizations in until June 2022, not yet completed). Slovenia. The overview shows and evaluates in numbers what Since the independence of Slovenia in 1991, a particular has been achieved. It also presents the fields in which legislative system with respect to public research generated IPR knowledge transfer experts will have to act further in has been established. The legislative system, in the case of collaboration with Government, Professional Associations and Slovenia affects the strength and the quality of a national IP Public Research Organization (PRO) leaderships. Conclusions management regime. are drawn to suggest further steps on the path of KT development in Slovenia. 2. THE LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT Keywords 2.1 Slovenian legislative context The Republic of Slovenia has established universities and spin-off, spin-out, R&D contracts, Intellectual Property Rights public research institutes (PRIs) with Institutes Act (1991) [2] (IPR) sales, legislation changes, public research organizations, and The Higher Education Act (1993) [3]. Financing of boundaries, conditions, technology transfer, eco-system research work on universities and PRIs (jointly named Public Research Organizations, (PROs)) is implemented with the POVZETEK assistance of the Slovenian Research Agency in accordance with V prispevku opisujemo zadnje desetletje razvoja prenosa znanja various regulations [4]. v Sloveniji. Prenos znanja temelji na razvoju zakonodajnih orodij, vladnih finančnih orodij in raziskovalni uspešnosti The researchers compete for the financing of their research javnih raziskovalnih organizacij v Sloveniji. Pregled v številkah plans. They do so in regular time intervals (every year for prikazuje in ocenjuje, kaj je bilo doseženega. Nudi tudi vpogled projects, every four to six years for programmes). Evaluation of v področja, kjer bodo v prihodnje strokovnjaki za prenos znanja the proposals is done on the basis of certain criteria. Thus, it is v sodelovanju z vladnimi, strokovnimi združenji in vodstvi possible to claim that the financing of research from the public javnih raziskovalnih organizacij (JRO) morali nadgraditi budget is project and programme organised. To a certain dosedanja prizadevanja. Sklepne ugotovitve predlagajo degree, such a frequent selection and unavailability of stable nadaljnje korake na poti razvoja KT v Sloveniji. long-term financing should support positive selection in the research sphere and enable researchers to work creatively in a Ključne besede relatively secure environment.1 spin-off, spin-out, pogodbe za raziskave in razvoj, prodaja With the Act on inventions arising from employment (1995) pravic intelektualne lastnine, spremembe zakonodaje, javne [5], the Republic of Slovenia has introduced an arrangement raziskovalne organizacije, meje, pogoji, prenos tehnologije, similar to the Bayh-Dole Act of the USA. The inventions arise ekosistem from PROs. All the inventions resulting from the state budget financing, are owned and managed by the PROs. Certain conditions regulate the management of the mentioned 1. INTRODUCTION inventions. These conditions need to be met, for the PROs to Slovenia is a small country with 2 million inhabitants in Central become the owner of the actual invention. These conditions are Europe and 6980 registered researchers [1], the 19th in thus described in Article 21 and 22 of the Act on inventions arising measured research strength out of 127 evaluated countries. from employment and are related to the Industrial Property Act. The efficiency of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) All EU member states (except Italy and Sweden) – manage their management system in a country can be evaluated through the inventions in the way the Republic of Slovenia does, with successful commercialization of patents and secret know-how respect to the responsible PROs. The state renounces the right originating from Public Research Organizations. The of ownership of the inventions in favour of the PROs. commercialization is taking place through new company Consequently, these PROs, as legal entities, are also responsible creation, IPR licensing and sales and direct R&D collaboration for commercialization of inventions. Researchers are not with companies. personally responsible for the commercialization of inventions, The efficiency of the IP management system in Slovenia can be 1 sought from a comparison of the results of three separate time- The status of researchers as civil servants and the absolute impact of the ARRS selection system are not discussed here. 15 but may capitalize financially (in Slovenia minimum is in the Unfortunately, such offices have not been given further amount of 20 % of the gross related PRO income) in case of legitimacy until 2011, when the Resolution on Research and successful commercialization takes place. The researchers are Innovation Strategy 2011-2021 [9] Slovenia has been adopted. thus incentivized to participate, and practically all PROs in Therefore, IPR in PROs was typically generated on a day-to- Slovenia nowadays have internal PRO Acts distributing the day basis without proper assessments of it being made, without benefits defined by the law. commercialization procedures having been considered. With the Supportive Environment for Entrepreneurship Act The question of IPR for the market has been raised several (2007) [6] and the accompanying Record on Keeping Rules on times through the years, but since there was little interest in the Innovative Environment [7]) a legal base for a supportive looking at this problem from an integrative point of view, environment for innovation was created in Slovenia. integral solutions were not implemented for almost another Entrepreneurship incubators, university incubators and decade. technology parks were explicitly mentioned in Article 2 of the Record on Keeping Rules on the Innovative Environment. Each 3.2 The institutional level of those supportive organizations was supposed to, in a manner PROs in Slovenia were very agile in collaboration with the described in the Record, support development and cooperation industry during the 1970’s and 1980’s. This resulted in some of the start-up and young enterprises. Technology transfer very early adoptions of internal Acts on acquiring and offices were mentioned by the Record on Keeping Rules on the management of the IPR by the PRO, which enabled at least Innovative Environment but were not financed through being incentivizing the researchers with rewards on IPR production (if part of the listed entities by the same Record. not management of IPR). The quickest to act was Institute of Last but not least, based on the Industrial Property Act (2001) Chemistry (KI) in 1979, followed by Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) [8] the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (Article 5 of the in 1998, University of Ljubljana (UL) in 2006, National Industrial Property Act) was founded, with the main function to Institute of Biology (NIB) in 2007, University of Maribor (UM) accept patent and other intellectual property right applications, in 2009, University of Primorska (UP) in 2010 [10]. All such manage the related procedure, related registers of rights, Institutional Acts underwent several changes through the years. provide information services and represent the Republic of Unfortunately, the PROs were not quick to pick up the pace Slovenia at WIPO, EPO and other international organizations. with IPR management, to enable systematic, sustainable and consistent management of IPR generated, and to prevent any 3. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER issues, as defined in relevant competition, integrity and OFFICES corruption legislation. In a substantial proportion, the Slovenian science and research The PROs were creating TTOs at different times and with activity is financed from public funds - in part from the national different efficiencies. The first TTO in Slovenia was founded at public budget, partly from the EU budget (European projects). JSI in 1996, followed by UM in 2005, University of Ljubljana A considerable proportion of the funding also comes directly in 2007, KI in 2010 (first jointly with JSI, then separated in from the Slovenian enterprises, which are the generator of 2012), UP in 2010, NIB in 2010, Agricultural institute of public budget. Slovenia (KIS) in 2015, Faculty of Information Studies Novo mesto (FIŠ) in 2017 Therefore, the public research organizations (PROs) are well [11], [12]. aware of the fact that the increase in competitiveness of the Several of the TTOs changed their organizational structure to Slovenian economy also depends on the quality of the become more agile and to be able to sustain themselves. Some cooperation between science and industry. several times, formal incorporations ranging from an outside However, looking at the commercialization side of Intellectual company 100% owned by the University, through a separate Property Right (IPR), in the end of the first decade of the 21st and financially independent Unit of an Institute to an office or a century, it was obvious that the knowledge and technology section within some other entity (the Rectorate of the transfer potentials were not being fully exploited. The reasons University, a Faculty or an incorporated Institute of the could be sought in the less developed parts of the innovation University). support system – the intermediaries, which would assist in the commercialization of IPR – the Technology Transfer Offices 3.3 The EU context (TTOs). The Framework for Research, Development and Innovation suggests that the field of establishing new enterprises, arising 3.1 The governmental level from the knowledge, developed at the research organizations, The legal framework for active management of the IPR should be regulated. According to this Framework, generated by the PRO, has been set during the period of 1991- commercialisation via spin-offing is allowed (and desirable), if 1995. The transfer of knowledge and inventions to the market the profits from commercialisation activities are provided as should have been, by law, since 1995, supported by the PROs funds for further research activities. themselves. In particular the PROs should have been managing On the other hand, European and domestic competition law the IPR, generated/owned by the PROs. In practice the prohibit anti-competitive agreements. Thus, any anti- management and transfer activities should have been actively competitive provisions in commercial agreements are void and carried out by the entities, defined by legislation through the unenforceable which could lead to the entire agreement being Act on inventions arising from employment. These entities are unenforceable. However, the European Commission has called the technology transfer offices (TTO) of the PROs. In produced a number of so-called block exemptions which make addition, the Offices of technology transfer were in explicitly certain 'safe harbours' available to companies. mentioned in the Record on Keeping Rules on the Innovative Environment. The Technology Transfer Block Exemption (TTBER [13]) covers technology licensing agreements in relation to most intellectual property rights (IPRs), providing a safe harbour to 16 companies active in this business area and in business relations 4.2.3 KTT-2 project: 2017-2022 with Public Research Organizations (PROs), too. If an A long three-year period followed with no financing. During agreement falls within the terms of this block exemption, the that time the Association of Technology Transfer Professionals companies concerned can be confident that it will not be subject of Slovenia (Association SI-TT) tirelessly tried to intervene to scrutiny. with the Ministry of Science, the Ministry of Economy and the Furthermore, "Commission Recommendation on the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion management of intellectual property and knowledge transfer Policy, for the KTT project to be renewed and the TTOs to be activities and Code of Practice for universities and other public financed again. This difficult period was intermittent only by research organizations", requests the establishment of control harsh and belligerent negotiations among the existing TTOs. over the performance of technology transfer activities to the The negotiations were initiated by the JSI, but were difficult to industry, which since 2013 EC countries, including Slovenia, lead due to different and partially articulated points of view. are recommended to follow. There was a period of genuine despair due to government’s focus on the NUTS3 division of the funds, and the 4. THE FINANCING OF THE TTOs unwillingness to introduce an umbrella accounting, which 4.1 The lack of dedicated financing would affect KTT as operating throughout the country (instead of in a particular NUTS3 region). During this period, with no Even though changes have been observed during the first clear framework and leadership from the side of the decade of the 21st century, in European and national legislation, government, the idea of the exclusionary operation of a possible the problem of operationalization of TTOs through dedicated new consortium grew among some TTOs. The idea was that financing in fact remained open. A situation at the end of the some TTOs would be members, others would be left out. first decade of the 21st century was still a gross neglect of the Consequently, the willingness of partners to rationally check TTOs and their activities by the government. their capacity, capabilities and achievements with the aim of On the one hand this forced most TTOs to have only 1 or two cooperation remained low, the uncertainty caused the tensions employees, mainly dealing with other issues of the institution and the competition among the partners to grew. The actions of (e.g. PR, research project administration). The two exceptions the leaderships of the PROs, which held separate meetings for in size and activities, JSI with 6-15 employees and later Universities and for Institutes, did not add a positive note into TehnoCenter UM with 4-8 employees at the time, however, had the confusion and distrust. Actually, the only joint meeting of little institutional financial support, and had to provide the PRO leaderships was organized by JSI on June 12th 2014 in financing for their work from projects (EU projects, work for order to evaluate possible further steps, already before the KTT industry). project (phase 2) ended. Thus, the long-lasting effort for financial support to the TTOs After 3 years of turmoil, finally, in June 2017 the government from the side of the government began already in 2008. decided to finance TTOs of Slovenia with a 5-year project. The current KTT project's mission is twofold: the strengthening of links and increasing the cooperation of PROs and industry and 4.2 The three phases of the projects the strengthening the competences of TTOs, researchers and The first partial solutions to the TTO financing started to be enterprises. Most (80%+) of the finances go to human resource generated by the government with the support of the financing. Association of Technology Transfer Professionals of Slovenia (Association SI-TT) already in 2009. Those were the KTT As of now, all TTOs in Slovenia are jointly collaborating in this projects and they can be divided into three groups. project. This collaborative all-inclusive TTO setup is considered by most of the utmost importance for coherent 4.2.1 INO projects: 2008-2011 further development of the TTOs in Slovenia, but was not an initiative of the government. The government anticipated a Firstly, the INO projects of 2008, 2009, 2011 were financed by competitive call where some of the TTOs would outbid the the (former) Technology and Innovation Agency (TIA) with the others, practically eliminating some or preventing others from support of the Ministry of Science. These projects involved developing skills at their institution. Such a development would partners as Slovenian Business and Regional Development have had disastrous effects on the development of the Agencies, but also some of the Public Research Organizations. Technology Transfer scene in Slovenia. Moreover, the rules of The glass ceiling has been broken, but the projects still focused the project prohibited active assistance from one PRO to the mainly on promotion and organization of events. These projects other, so no PRO can or could take on a case from the other explicitly focused on counting the number of leaflets produced PRO. Some PROs would thus in the exclusive model remain and workshops organized. Less focus was devoted to actual Key completely unsupported, as far as knowledge and technology Performance Indicators (KPIs) that would influence the transfer is concerned. Both of these features (long gaps between industrial progress of the country, as number of contracts and financing and the possible exclusion of some TTOs) need their size, patents filed etc. urgently to be rethought for further development – and prevented. 4.2.2 KTT project: 2013-2014 Secondly, the initial project KTT, lasting from 2013 through Against the spirit of the 2017 governmental call, the JSI as the 2014, was the first project within which in particular technology consortium leader managed to join forces with all existing transfer in Slovenia was systematically (albeit not sustainably) TTOs, small and big, some already in existence for a while and funded. During this first period national funds from the kicking-off and some just created. This was not an easy Ministry of Economy were made available for such financing. enterprise: some of the larger PROs in Slovenia were at the time There were 6 partners involved in the project, but (due to late interested in forming an exclusive consortium, leaving the other evaluation and late start) the project only lasted for 16.5 TTOs out of the loop, preventing their further development. months. Their idea was that not all the TTOs in Slovenia, but only a selected few should have access to the financial support. Against all odds, thanks to the efforts of the JSI and the timely 17 support of the Ministry of Science in 2017, this did not happen. 4.3 The Center for technology transfer In 2017 all of the institutions that could join the consortium, and innovation of JSI were invited to do so, and the coordinator made their accession possible, although with several difficulties regarding the quality The Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation at the Jožef of the official documentation initially provided. Stefan Institute is currently the coordinator of the project KTT (2017-2022), the coordinator of Enterprise Europe Network The current KTT project, 2017-2022, comprises 8 partners, all Slovenia, and is a financially independent unit of Jožef Stefan public research organizations (PROs), represented by their Institute, Slovenia, involved in many different international respective technology transfer offices (TTOs), namely, 4 projects. leading institutes and 4 renowned universities. CTT has been the coordinator of the INO projects in 2008, This helped to forge a network of TTOs in Slovenia, striving for 2009 and 2011, with different partners (e.g. NIB, KI, UM); the development – competing, but under the leadership of JSI with coordinator of the KTT project 2013-2014 under the a logic of the utmost inclusivity. supervision of Ministry for economics and development; and is also the coordinator of the KTT-2 project 2017-2022 under the Every operational TTO in the country has its place in this supervision of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports. It current TTO project and it should remain so. should be noted, however, that the coordination of the current On the other hand, inclusivity also has its negative issues. In a project KTT-2 was offered by the JSI to all other partners. In huge project with many partners not necessarily everything is particular it was offered to the UL as the largest university in running smoothly. Sometimes also tensions tend to interrupt the Slovenia, with similar innovation output as JSI. The offer was day-to-day business. The issue of research competition, which not accepted, not in 2017 and not in 2020, when it was appears to be rather smoothly managed by the researchers and repeated. the PRO leaderships, is often exhibited as a ruthless and futile CTT prepared the project documentation and the proposed brawl on the level of the TTOs. Such tensions are enabled and financing was split according to the size (in research FTE) of propelled by the fact that besides by the exhaustive expert work the PRO. The UM was awarded extra financing, following its of the TTO, results can currently still also be defined and proposal to coordinate the activities of the consortium in the achieved in a political manner as they are not concrete and Eastern NUTS3 region of Slovenia, and due to a claim of a precise enough. significantly higher output than the corresponding one, relative The situation resembles the Performance Enhancement System to the research FTE. JSI made this increase possible by (PES) crisis of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) from the reallocating a share of their own budget to the UM. In addition, period 2014-2016, when the European Commission worked a share of the proposed KTT 2017-2022 budget was split tirelessly to improve the standards of the PES results to a solid equally among all 8 partners, disregarding their size in research and concrete set of PES, which can be easily comparable capacity, to acknowledge that events and public relations through the EEN partners. The analytics is done by the EASME activities require the same effort regardless the size of the and is of utmost importance in EEN development and partner institution and the level of results offered by the particular improvement. An improvement is sought from the side of the PRO. Ministry to enable such monitoring and analysis of the results in The employees of CTT helped lobby for such the KTT-2 a contextual content manner, in addition to the (albeit very consortium project in their roles within the Association SI-TT. complicated) financial monitoring. They worked coherently and tirelessly for more than 15 years Based on this experience and example, the scientific approach towards a common goal: a creation of a network of Slovenian to defining the technology and knowledge transfer KPIs is of Technology Transfer Offices. This network is now partially the utmost importance in Slovenia. In particular it is necessary operational. These activities resulted in an active consortium of to enable fair comparison among the KTT partners, based on 8 TTOs and JSI and CTT is currently responsible for executing monitored, unalterable and unique parameters. It is important to this project financing scheme. ease out the tensions of the unproductive competition in the We urge the government to decide about further support of the world where the Technology transfer industry itself needs still TTOs in Slovenia as soon as possible to allow for planning of to be professionalized. The objective numbers, comparable any transition necessary. Apart from the problem that the among the partners, would enable a better standing and a financing is running out in June 2022 and that the newly community, focused purely on development instead of power employed and trained personnel will need to plan their further games. existence, there are also two other issues to be covered. Lastly, a capacity of all partners to accept the creation of a Firstly, even though well informed from the relevant community of equals who do the best they can in their own professional body, the Association SI-TT, the Ministry for fields and on their own institutions, without making a special effort to prevent others’ excellence Science, Education and Sports decided not to include any , could also be further mention of the need for, existence or possible financing of the improved. Technology Transfer Offices in the proposal for the new There are as of today no confirmed information on prolongation Legislative Act on Research, Development and Innovation in of this financing, thus the same issue as in 2014 will resurface 2019. Several corrections have been made to the proposed Act in two years, in June 2022. What comes next? The system has since then, none of them explicitly denoting the role of been set up, people have been brought together to create new Technology Transfer Offices in the system. and larger, operational TTOs, and educated. The government And secondly, to allow for the creation of spinoff companies should be urged to officially lay out their plans to enable planning of the TTOs’ future activities. with possible financial investments from the side of the Public Research Organizations, high-level parts of legislation would need to be altered, for example the Act on Public Finances. This can only be done with strong political support and understanding of all involved stakeholders, who, to a great 18 extent have limited understanding of the spinout/spinoff monitoring from the side of a PRO can ruin the spinoff’s situation. The new Act on Research, Development and prospects for growth. Secondly, the same limitation applies for Innovation, proposes to overcome this obstacle by overriding the consultancy available to the Organization, which is in the legislative background, but remains yet to be approved. addition to being inexperienced and partly professional, also costly. Thus, to this day, in the absence of legislative changes, there is only one option for successful and fair creation of new The non-moderated situation with unclear options of the enterprises from the institutions of knowledge. This option is entrepreneurial researchers yields unregistered spinout the creation of spinout companies with the ultimate requirement companies of the Public research organizations. This situation for the transparent accounting for the public expenditure. is easily moderated via internal policy acts, structuring the process of company creation according to the current legislative 5. PURPOSE OF THE TTO limits. Such processes are in place at least at the JSI and UL, possibly also at other PROs in Slovenia, but not all researchers FINANCING resort to take such routes. 5.1 Industry relations The legislation should be adopted to allow not only for The goal of all of the KTT projects was and is to support the creation, but primarily for successful management of IPR as an industry in Slovenia, rather than an outflow of knowledge investment in spinout companies. abroad or great profit for PROs. Collaboration between PROs and SMEs in Slovenia should be strengthened. 5.3 Investing into IPR The general process of collaboration [14] is based on several Intellectual, and for the purpose of this article in particular parallel processes. First the internal processes of research industrial property, is of high importance for development of institutions need to provide the context and the content of particular peoples, companies, countries. Indeed, the use of possible collaboration, and with assessments of technology and legally protected intellectual property for development of the market the principle decisions are taken. Then the IP rights country is a strategic decision that cannot be done overnight. management can commence. This phase usually lasts for more than two years in which enough time is provided to carry out Patent system has many positive and less positive aspects, the processes of finding a domestic or foreign partner for therefore many experts from various universities call for a licensing, continuing R&D collaboration or to build up a team reform of this system in order to realise its prime objective – “to for spin-off creation. support and encourage innovativeness”. Slovenian companies prefer contract and collaborative Despite the above stated, it is important to invest in patents and cooperation to buying licenses and patent rights. Also, a other forms of intellectual property (IP). Investments in relatively low added value per employee and a low profit intellectual property increases licensing opportunities and the margin are not stimulating the research-industry collaboration. IP position of the Slovenian knowledge worldwide. On the other hand, Slovenian knowledge, as high profile as it Currently IP costs can be supported within some national turns out to be in terms of highly cited publications per capita, is small in volume due to Slovenia’s small number of instruments (e.g. RRI, Eureka, some start-up funding initiatives), but mainly for companies. KTT is so far the only inhabitants. As a consequence, the trademark of Slovenian instrument enabling financial support for investments into IPR science, IPR or R&D services is not well known abroad. at the side of PROs. Primarily domestic, but also international R&D connections Instruments that support investment - and not merely paying for should be improved to allow for maximum development of the intellectual property rights - should be further developed in trademark of Slovenian science for industrial use. Slovenia. 5.2 Creation of new companies from 5.4 Strengthening the TTOs competences PROs The goal of the KTT project is to establish technology transfer Companies from PROs can be created either as spinouts (a centers in Slovenia as integral parts of PROs, which shall, first separate legal entity, which is licensing the IPR from the PRO, and foremost, strive to serve the interests of the researcher and but the entity is owned by the inventors) or as spinoffs (an the PRO. The TTOs shall assist the researcher throughout the entity owned partially by the PRO, at least in the share of the entire procedure of the industry-research cooperation, by raising invested IPR). competences and educating, taking care of legal and administrative issues, and promote research achievements The process of building a team for creation of new companies among the industry. Lastly, TTOs shall support the cooperation from PROs, involves team building, and education in already established by research groups. entrepreneurship. If provided and guided, it can result in spin- off creation, VC involvement and market activities. To achieve that goal, a further stable financing should be provided, divided into two parts: a smaller part to be devoted to Issues, limiting the entrepreneurship activities, are connected to further promotion activities (events, brochures etc). The the pull-push principles of technology transfer and the majority of the financing should be devoted to actual market conditions in the state economy. Firstly, the legislation does not activities leading to capitalization of the created IPR. allow for the Public Research Organization (with a limited option for the Universities to do so) to co-own and co-manage It is true that a significant part of knowledge, created by the the newly created business. This severely limits the PROs, is transferred via other paths: teaching, publications, Organization’s interest in the activity. Secondly, even if the conference, STEM activities. The TTO should be involved in creation of spinoffs were allowed, there is a limited capacity of all of those as an information provider, when needed and business-oriented experts within the Public Research appropriate. Organizations, who would be capable of monitoring and steering the spinoff company from the side of a PRO. Too rigid 19 However, the first and most important task of the TTO should Table 2: Overview results reported in the periods 2009-2012 be commercialization of IPR and secret knowledge, as there is [15], 2013-2014 [11] and 2017-2019* [16], normalized per no better equipped place or better educated people to do that for duration of one year. the benefit of the PRO and the (domestic) economy. Survey: 2009-2012 KTT: 2013/2014) KTT: 2017-2019 Patents filed to IPO with full report / / 12 TTOs competences should be further developed and TTOs Patents filed wherever / 49 / Patents granted in Slovenia 29 / / themselves further financially supported. Patents granted with report (different patents in the same family count as many) 7 / / IP License & Sales 275.472,33 € 62.909,09 € 363.086,00 € 6. THE KT ACTIVITIES RESULTS: R&D Sales 7.098.928,33 € / 1.361.706,00 € Spinouts 5 4 / STATISTICS AND METHOD Number of employed in SO companies younger than 5 years 6 / / In the following we present the results of the KT activities in New companies in collaboration with PROs thought TTOs / / 16 Slovenia in the past decade. Metrics for collection of this data was not comparable in different periods due to different responsible bodies collecting the data and different understanding of what is actually important. 6.2 The period 2009-2012 The 2009-2012 numbers were a result of a SI-TT survey [15]. 6.1 Incomparable metrics Based on the collected data of the three largest Slovenian public Results on KT activities, collected during the periods of 2009- research organizations - institutes and three universities, an 2012, 2013-14 and 2017-2019 are very diversified. One of the analysis of the results of work in the field of technology transfer reasons of the diversification is the way in which the data were in the period 2009-2012 has been prepared. collected and the purpose of its collection. The logic at the time was that the granted patents are of For example, in the category of patents filed, data was not importance, not the filings. The reason for this was an active collected in period 2009-2012, in the period 2013-14 the pursue of the researchers at the time to file as many patent number of patents filed wherever in the world was collected and applications at the national Patent Office, as the filing itself in the period 2017-2019 the full report patents were sought for. sufficed to gain significant extra points according to the national evaluation at the Agency for Research and Only in the period 2009-2012 patents granted were collected Development of Slovenia. and were divided between those granted in Slovenia (without full report) and elsewhere (also possible without full report, but The Association SI-TT as an association of Knowledge transfer more likely with one). professionals was at the time also aware of the importance of other KT categories: R&D, licensing and IPR sales contracts, IP license and sales were collected in all three periods and R&D spinout creation. In their survey it went into as much detail as sales in period 2009-2012 and 2017-2019. collecting data on actual employees in these companies. Number of created spinouts were collected in period 2009-2012 On the other hand, the numbers in this survey were not and 2013/2014 and not in the last period, as the Ministry for monitored or cross-checked in any way. They were self- Science (somehow) concluded this was not a result of the work reported by the TTOs to the SI-TT questionnaire and no proof of the Technology Transfer Office. of actual achievement of the numbers was sought for or delivered, thus their accuracy might be limited. Also, the Table 1: Overview results reported by the TTOs in the reported data are considered to be the data about the PRO periods 2009-12 [15], 2013-14 [11] and 2017-2019* [16] activity as a whole, not about the share of activity in which the Survey: 2009-2012 KTT: 2013/2014) KTT: 2017-2019 TTO was involved. (36 months) (16.5 months) (24 months) Patents filed to IPO with full report / / 24 Patents filed wherever / 67 / Patents granted in Slovenia 87 / / 6.3 Project results 2013-2014 Patents granted with report (different patents in the same family count as many) 21 / / The 2013-2014 numbers are a result of a reporting, done to the IP License & Sales 826.417,00 € 86.500,00 € 726.172,00 € R&D Sales 21.296.785,00 € / 2.723.412,00 € Ministry of Economy and Development in autumn of 2014, Spinouts 14 6 / within the first KTT project, financed by the Ministry. Number of employed in SO companies younger than 5 years 18,4 / / New companies in collaboration with PROs The Ministry of Economy was financing the project KTT 2013- thought TTOs / / 32 14 with national financing. It focused on the Licensing and Sales of IPR and on spinout creation. R&D contracts were at the time considered to be less indicative for a TTO activity (and Number of employees in the spinouts created in the last 5 years new company creation was considered to be part of the TTO were only collected in the period 2009-2012. activity) [11]. Number of new companies to be put into collaboration with the Some monitoring was done by the Ministry of Economy to seek Public Research Organization was only collected in the period proof for delivered results, so the results can be considered as 2017-2019. partially relevant as for measuring the activity of the TTO (not Numbers can be found in Table 1. the PRO as a whole). The overall results can be seen from Table 2, normalized to the 6.4 Project results 2017-2019 length of 1 year. The 2017-2019 numbers are a result of a reporting, done every 6 months to the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports. The results were also presented at the 12th International Technology Transfer Conference [16]. 20 The Ministry of Science sought to finance the KTT 2 project FTE, number of granted and valid patents (Domestic and with money from the Structural fund, meaning that a local internationally) and WoS PRO specific results. component with direct benefit for the companies of Slovenia The data was collected from yearly reports of the largest had to be proven during the project. Research organizations in Slovenia: JSI, UL, UM, UP, KIS, KI, The overall project goals for 5 years (until July 2022) include NIB and UNG, Thomson Reuters Database as of 1.10.2015, 40 patent applications at patent offices that perform full URSIL database as of 1.10.2015, ARRS webpage with financial examination; 300,000.00 EUR of income from license data as of 1.10.2015, SciVal as of 1.9.2015 Web of Science as agreements; 8,000,000.00 EUR income from contract and of 1.9.2015. The 8 institutions covered 79.07% of the ARRS collaborative research agreements, and 40 new Slovenian budget at the time, meaning that 20.93% of the research companies served according to the public call [17a]. institutions, financed by the ARRS were not covered by this survey. Number of students at the Universities was not The consortium has already delivered the required results for considered as a relevant indicator, as the IPR generated by the the new companies served and the license agreements key students is not owned by the Universities. In addition, number performance indicators, and there are reasonably optimistic of employees was also not considered, as the employments can results achieved in the first two out of five years in terms of range from a full FTE to just a few percent of work obligation, number of patent applications and contract and collaborative which cannot be treated equally. Also, in the category patents research relations (50% and 40% of the final mark achieved, granted at least one university included patents granted to respectively) [16]. employees (and not the institution itself). The data is mainly accurate as an indication of the part of the Results of the survey are shown in Table 3 below. PRO activity in which the TTO is involved (not the activity of the PRO as a whole). Also, the ministry of Science established a The results show a discrepancy between the amount of precise set of data and documented proofs to be submitted financing received for R&D activities from the Slovenian before confirming the results, thus they can be considered as Agency, the number of FTE employed to perform the R&D mainly relevant. work (teaching staff FTEs are not included) and the output in terms of number of valid and granted Slovenian patents, number of valid and granted foreign patents and number of publications. In this comparison, data on R&D contracts could not be obtained from public sources. Table 3: 2015 Quality assessment of 8 Slovenian Research organizations made on the basis of the publicly available data. Figure 1: A comparison of 5-year goals and the 2-year performance of the KTT project. The Ministry of Science in 2017-2019 focused on R&D contracts primarily with national legal subjects, on the new companies brought into collaboration and the national licensing deals. Spinout creation deemed to be out of the scope of the governmental support. Nevertheless, it is possible that the majority of the reported (as requested) licensing deals are actually being done with unregistered spinout companies of the Public research organizations. Also, since the Ministry is only monitoring the contracts and not their realization, it is not clear, how much of the reported amounts can actually be considered a PRO income (for As the data covers 79,07% of all national research financing incentive distribution). from the ARRS, it is indicative and helps us understand the distribution of knowledge transfer activities throughout the A huge drop in R&D collaboration can be seen from the data. majority of the STEM oriented PROs in Slovenia. The The KPI of both projects were predefined by the two Ministries. discrepancies could assist us in understanding the year to year The difference in KPI definitions can be seen from Table 1. difference in performance as shown in Table 1 and Table 2. To obtain comparable results in order to estimate the Further research should be done in this domain. development of the TT profession in Slovenia, it is pertinent to use a similar metrics in every one of the time periods. However, 7. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT some estimates can also be done when taking a look at the more At the general level, primarily domestic, but also international granular level of data - how the results are distributed over the R&D connections should be improved to allow for maximum PROs in a particular year and in which particular fields. development of the trademark of Slovenian science for industrial use. 6.5 Scientific output comparison The legislation should be adopted to allow not only for In an attempt to resolve the reason for the anomalies and drops creation, but primarily for successful management of IPR as an in performance, an analysis of publicly available data on investment in spinout companies. Research intensity and outputs was performed already in 2015, incorporating financing available to a PRO, its research staff in 21 Instruments that support investment and not merely paying for 8. CONCLUSIONS intellectual property rights should be further developed in This paper was written to give an overview of the Slovenia. history/genesis of the current Slovenian technology and TTOs competences should be further developed and TTOs knowledge transfer system, unfolding several issues that will themselves further supported. need to be addressed in the future to make the knowledge transfer and innovation system of Slovenia to become fully Projects funded from the ERDF funds, such as KTT 2017-2022, operational. The mistakes made during the short, but significant often have relatively complicated reporting, which represents an history od knowkledge and technology transfer in Slovenia, administrative work load for TT managers and results in a mustn’t be lost or else the same mistakes will be repeated. The diminished amount of financing spent from the ERDF in the paper thus describes the effects of having project-based funding project as a whole. The Ministry of Science needs to establish a of TT with varying scopes and focuses: coherent financing over the years, which is not project based. i. The lack of continuity makes it hard to keep staff and develop In the Slovenian case, the Proof of concept fund is not competences over long time; established, which prevents research entrepreneurs to develop their inventions further towards the market. Continuing support ii. Changing focus leads to changes in direction (what you of the Ministry and their collaboration with the SID bank could measure is what you get) and the mixture of results of the TTOs lead to a breakthrough in this domain. The SID bank should in Slovenia in the past decade nicely shows the effect of the continue with a steep pace the creation of the fund to be changing policy; established by the end of the 2021. iii. It becomes hard to keep track of the overall development of There is a lack of support for spinouts. Start-ups can enter TT in Slovenia, which needs to be improved in order to enable easily a technology park and perform a day-to-day business; in quality control. contrast, a spinout has to carry out many internal procedures iv. Exact and exactly measurable KPI should be determined to within the PRO from which it originates in order to start prevent the reporting manipulation of the support system and operations. On the other hand, the scale-up phase is well the PROs. supported (for example, by the national project SIO). Spinout support should become part of the Technology and Knowledge v. Constructive, systematic, sustainable, inter-connected and Transfer policy in Slovenia. consistent solutions should be sought for, without excluding TTOs. They are players in the field of public research The Slovenian legislature (ZIDR) provides incentives for organizations support. inventors, when the invention is licensed or sold (min. 20% of gross royalty, in practice around 33% of net royalty). There is a In other countries, the political systems have tended to fund the lack of recognition for Technology Transfer (TT) managers start-up phases of TT, but they have also had an expectation (compared to inventors). The Ministry of Science should make that PRO’s would take over responsibility with time. This has sure that the incentives for TT officers should become part of not always happened. Even if the basic funding of the TTO the legislation governing the incentives for researchers. office is secured by the government or PRO, the missing PoC link funding often has to continue on national/regional level for Professionalization is also sought for. For example, the Council many years for TT to mature. Also, Seed funding for spin-outs for science and technology (SZT) should follow the lead of the is also a long-term need that may require political support. European Commission and involve not only researchers and industrialists, but also technology transfer professionals into The recommendations of the paper require further thoughts on their developments of the policy inputs. As such, the current the need of priorities for government intervention. These SZT lacks a very important component, and that is the priorities will hopefully be set by the governmental/political knowledge and experience of the man or the woman in between structures in Slovenia through the new law on scientific the worlds. The European Commission has already rectified this research and innovation activity. The law is at the moment in the past years, where the TT experts participate very being coordinated interdepartmentally within the Slovenian successfully in several high-level Advisory Boards and Expert government. However, the principles and the recommendations groups. The Slovenian government should follow that lead. and the priorities should then also be followed by the PROs. Last but not least, technology transfer needs stable funding, as a Last but not least, Technology transfer is a young discipline. TTO is generally not able to finance itself – apart from the rare There should be a sensible amount of healthy competition also cases where industry buys high licenses (a large license can in Technology transfer. However, this competition should support a TTO for up to 10 years), and this is not applicable to remain cordial and motivational, and avoid any destructive Slovenia with its IP reluctant SMEs with lower than average steps, especially if for the purpose of self-promotion. EU27 technology absorption capacity. Having created a Scientific Section to address the issues of In case when the TTO is supported by the government, it is Technology and Knowledge transfer within the 13th important that there is good cooperation between the TTO and International Technology Transfer Conference, clearly shows the government (not just administrative supervision but also the opportunity for further joint research (nationally and content guidelines for future work, content analysis, KPI worldwide, and beyond mere best-practice examples) on definition fine tuning, including the development of a toolbox technology and knowledge transfer from a scientific point of for successful technology transfer as a collection of contracts, view, influencing the entrepreneurship potentials and setbacks good practices and business models. of the researchers and businesses. In essence, a TTO is an important part of the innovation chain and has to be recognized as such. 9. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank the Ministry for Science, Education and Sports for their continuing support in establishing a resilient and productive KT sector in Slovenia. Special thanks also to the 22 four independent reviewers for their constructive comments and Slovenski raziskovalci na razpotju. Vinkler, J. ed. Založba suggestions that improved this manuscript. Many of those were Univerze na Primorskem, Koper. used in the conclusions. Š.Stres would like to thank her family http://www.hippocampus.si/ISBN/978-961-6832-07-6.pdf for bearing with her during all those times of incessant work. [11] Habjanič, A., Stres, Š., Zorc, A., Alešnik P., Virag, L. Also, she would like to extend her gratitude to all the 2015. Prenos tehnologij na javnih raziskovalnih supportive colleagues who helped create, steer and pursue their organizacijah v Sloveniji. Habjanič, A. ed. Združenje common vision of an inclusive, vibrant, consistent and profesionalcev za prenos tehnologij Slovenije, Ljubljana. interconnected (knowledge and technology transfer) future in http://tehnologije.ijs.si/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/TT- Slovenia. brosura-2015_11092015_2.pdf 10. REFERENCES [12] Stres, Š.,Pal, L., Habjanič, A., Žilič, E., Blatnik, R., [1] Number of Researchers per million inhabitants by Country. Lutman, T., Benčina, M, Leban, M., Lipnik, A., Oblak, [internet]. [cited on March 30, 2020]. Available from: M., Rener, A. 2017. Pal, L., Stres, Š. eds. Pisarne za prenos tehnologij v Sloveniji. Združenje profesionalcev za http://chartsbin.com/view/1124 prenos tehnologij, Ljubljana. [2] Zakon o zavodih. [internet]. [cited on March 30, 2020]. http://tehnologije.ijs.si/gradiva/Brosura%20SI-TT.pdf Available from: http://zakonodaja.gov.si/rpsi/r00/predpis_ZAKO10.html [13] The Technology Transfer Block Exemption. [cited on September 9, 2020]. Available from: [3] Zakon o visokem šolstvu. [internet]. [cited on March 30, https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/guides/the- 2020]. Available from: http://www.uradni- technology-transfer-block-exemption list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=2003134&stevilka=5826 [14] Š. Stres, Public R&D in natural sciences as a market [4] Seznam aktov, ki vodijo delovanje ARRS. [cited on March potential - an study of examples with assessment of 30, 2020]. Available from: http://www.arrs.gov.si/sl/akti/ situation and practical proposals for solutions, PODIM 2010. [5] Zakon o izumih iz delovnega razmerja. [cited on March 30, 2020]. Available from: [15] Š. Stres, P. Kunaver, Analiza rezultatov dela na področju http://zakonodaja.gov.si/rpsi/r02/predpis_ZAKO5122.html prenosa tehnologij slovenskih javnih raziskovanih institutov ter univerz 2009 -2012, Institut »Jožef Stefan« [6] Zakon o podpornem okolju za podjetništvo. [cited on za Združenje profesionalcev za prenos tehnologije March 30, 2020]. Available from: Slovenije, SI-TT, (March 22 2013) http://pisrs.si/Pis.web/pregledPredpisa?id=ZAKO5073 [16] Stres, Š. 2019. Slovenian KT system. In: Stres, Š., Pal, L., [7] Pravilnik o načinu vodenja in vsebini evidence subjektov Podobnik, F., Odić, D., Blatnik, R. Proceedings of the inovativnega okolja. [cited on March 30, 2020]. Available 12th International Technology Transfer Conference – 12. from: https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list- ITTC. Institutu “Jožef Stefan”, Ljubljana. rs/vsebina/2005-01-5316/pravilnik-o-nacinu-vodenja-in- http://library.ijs.si/Stacks/Proceedings/ITTC vsebini-evidence-subjektov-inovativnega-okolja [17] JR TTO. 2017. Javni razpis Spodbujanje dejavnosti [8] Zakon o industrijski lastnini. [cited on March 30, 2020]. prenosa znanja preko delovanja pisarn za prenos Available from: tehnologij. Ministry of education, science and sport. http://www.pisrs.si/Pis.web/pregledPredpisa?id=ZAKO16 http://mizs.arhiv- 68 spletisc.gov.si/si/javne_objave_in_razpisi/okroznice/arhiv_ [9] Resolucija o raziskovalni in inovacijski strategiji okroznic/okroznice_razpisi_in_javna_narocila/javni_razpis Republike Slovenije. [cited on March 30, 2020]. Available i/indexb365.html?tx_t3javnirazpis_pi1%5Bshow_single% from: http://www.uradni-list.si/1/content?id=103975 5D=1550 [10] Ruzzier, M., Antončič, B., Zirnstein, E., Fatur, P., Nagy, T., Sešel, L., Zelič, U., Slovša, P., Stres, Š. 2011. 23 Patents on plasma treatments in agriculture Nina Recek Peter Gselman Mitja Krajnc Jozef Stefan Institute Interkorn d. o. o. Žipo d. o. o. Jamova cesta 39 Gančani 94 Šetarova 21 1000 Ljubljana 9231 Beltinci 2230 Lenart v Slovenskih goricah +38614773672 +38625422250 +38631307350 nina.recek@ijs.si peter.gselman@interkorn.si info@zipo.si Blaž Kozole Maja Rupnik Tamara Korošec Trac d. o. o. NLZOH Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Trubarjeva cesta 5 Prvomajska ulica 1 Vinarska ulica 14 8310 Šentjernej 2000 Maribor 2000 Maribor +38631726699 +38624500183 +38631770939 blaz.kozole@trac.si maja.rupnik@nlzoh.si tamara.korosec@kmetijski- zavod.si Gregor Primc Jozef Stefan Institute Jamova cesta 39 1000 Ljubljana +38614773672 gregor.primc@ijs.si ABSTRACT soil is treated. The influence of plasma processing on the water- Patents in the field of plasma agriculture are analyzed in this soaking capacity or microbiological picture is studied. paper. The first patent application in this technological niche appeared in 1995 and disclosed a method for seed treatment 2. PLASMA SEED PROJECT using non-equilibrium gaseous plasma. Since then, over 60 The project is focused on the development of methods for seed patents were filled in different countries, representing about 7% treatment and lasts about 3 years. The following partners are of published scientific papers in journals indexed by the Web of involved in developing a device suitable for treating seeds in Science. About half of the patent applications were submitted to the continuous mode: Interkorn Ltd. (Beltinci), Department of the Russian office, followed by Chinese, US, and Korean Surface Engineering, Jožef Stefan Institute (Ljubljana), Trac offices. Five or six patent applications have been submitted Ltd. (Šentjernej), Žipo Lenart, National Laboratory of Health, annually in the past few years. No Slovenian application has Environment and Food (Maribor), and Institute of Agriculture been registered so far. and Forestry (Maribor). The project coordinator, Interkorn Ltd., is the largest provider of seed coatings in Slovenia. It provides Keywords processing of seeds from separation to cleaning and deposition Plasma, agriculture, patent, search of various coatings. Processed seeds are further distributed among farms. Quality control and ecological production are among the company's priorities. The company produces and 1. INTRODUCTION treats seeds of corn, wheat, barley, other cereals, and soybeans. Plasma agriculture is among the most promising fields of The treatment of seeds is performed on an automated line, scientific research and industrial developments. It is an which allows for a high quality of processing and traceability of interdisciplinary niche where non-equilibrium thermodynamics seed batches. It has almost 100 regular customers who provide meets farming and food industry. There are hundreds of feedback about harvesting and storage. The company has research groups currently involved in developing plasma specialized in treating seeds to protect them against fungi techniques to treat seeds, plants, crops, storage and packaging (molds), worms, and birds to enable optimal harvesting. The devices, food, and feedstock. Many are academic, and they are unique coatings are adopted for use in the west Pannonia concentrated on chemical and biological modifications caused region, which has specific climate and soil conditions and by plasma treatment. Some groups have studied the influence of ecosystem. The company also provides services for seeds' plasma treatment on germination and growth of plants. Few treatment before storage to minimize the proliferation of molds, groups have also performed field experiments and studied the which may produce toxins that are harmful to humans and role of plasma parameters on the amount and quality of crops. animals. The scientific coordinator is Dr. Nina Recek, a Indirect treatments are popular, too. In such cases, either water researcher of the Department of Surface Engineering at Jozef for spraying or watering plants is treated by gaseous plasma or Stefan Institute. Other project partners are involved in research 24 on plasma-seed interaction and development of different components for a prototype of the line, which will be used to treat various seeds in the continuous mode. The goal of plasma treatment is to disinfect seeds and improve water uptake and, thus, faster germination as compared to untreated seeds. 3. LITERATURE SURVEY 3.1 Scientific papers Over 900 scientific papers have been published in journals ranked in the Web of Science. At the time of writing this document, 23 papers are highly cited in the field – received enough citations as of March/April 2020 to place them in the top 1% of their academic fields based on a highly cited threshold for the field and publication year. One paper is labeled as "hot paper" – such papers were published in the past two years and received enough citations in March/April 2020 to place them in the top 0.1% of papers in its academic fields. The majority of these papers deal with scientific aspects, but some Figure 2: Number of scientific papers published in the past ten also report experiments in the fields. The number of papers years in plasma agriculture. rewarded with "highly cited in the field" for the past decade is presented in Figure 1. 3.2 Patent applications While the number of scientific papers indicates the scientific importance of the subject, technological importance is revealed from the patents applied at various patent offices worldwide. The first patent in the field of plasma agriculture indexed in the ecpacenet database has the priority date 1995-07-05 [1]. The patent by Filippov, Bitjutskij, and Fedorov discloses a method for pre-sowing seed treatment. The method provides plasma treatment of seeds with low discharge intensity and pressure of inorganic gas, resulting in increased nutritive value of products and reduced power consumption. Since this pioneering work, numerous patents have appeared. Figure 3 represents the number of patents filed per year. The number is slowly increasing. By the time of writing this paper, as many as 67 patent applications appeared in the database. One of the last applications was also Russian [2]. Disclosed is a method for grain disinfection, which involves exposure of the treated grain to a stream of cold plasma at atmospheric pressure. Cold plasma flow is generated due to negative corona discharge between Figure 1: Number of highly cited papers in the field published anode and cathode with pulsed voltage in air. Grains with the in the last decade. moisture content of 7-14% are placed on the anode surface and treated for 10 minutes. According to the authors [2], the The number of scientific papers published in journals indexed invention provides a stable disinfecting effect when processing by the Web of Science for the past decade is plotted in Figure 2. grain (for food and sowing) intended for storage. One can observe a graduate increase in the published papers. The number of papers published per year has tripled in the last Russian inventors are particularly active in filing patent decade, which indicates the scientific importance of the applications in the field of plasma agriculture. Figure 4 reveals interdisciplinary field of plasma agriculture. the number of patent applications submitted to patent offices in different countries. The Russian office received as many as 33 applications. Next on the graph is the Chinese office with 20 applications, followed by the US office (6 applications) and the Korean patent office (3 applications). Other patent offices received only one application each. 25 Nevertheless, another method for the treatment of liquids by gaseous plasma is disclosed by Chieh [6]. An agriculture plasma liquid apparatus includes an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, an air inlet port, and a plasma liquid generating device. The diameter of the inlet and outlet pipes is rather large. The plasma liquid generating device is connected to the air inlet port to suck air from the air inlet port, communicates with the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe to import liquid flow from the inlet pipe and generate plasma particles into the liquid flow outputting through the output pipe. This solution is useful since many bubbles are formed within the innovative device, so the contact area between gaseous plasma and liquid is large compared to standard solutions. A more powerful device for the treatment of water with gaseous plasma is disclosed by Lu et al. [7]. The utility model discloses a high-temperature thermal conductance water plasma generation system. Its structure includes high-temperature Figure 3: Number of patent applications registered in the thermal conductance water plasma generator group, waterway Espacenet database. system, and thermal energy system. The central part of the high- temperature thermal conductance water plasma generator is a Of particular importance are patents on the indirect treatment of high-temperature heat pipe, including an inner tube and seeds, usually treating a liquid by gaseous plasma and then urceolus. The high-temperature heat transfer medium is soaking seeds in plasma-treated liquid. For example, mounted between the inner tube and the urceolus at the bottom. RU2702594 (C1) [3] discloses a method of activating water or The waterway system constitutes a water tank, filter, high- aqueous solutions. The method involves exposing a particular pressure unfamiliar water pump, solenoid valve, and hot water volume of treated water or aqueous solutions to plasma. tank. The thermal energy system includes an oil tank, a high- Contactless activation is carried out. Water or aqueous pressure oil pump, an oil flow control valve, a fuel nozzle, and solutions are exposed to a continuous electrodeless plasma an electronic ignition wire that gradually connects. The high- flame created by a UHF-plasmatron, which generates a low- temperature thermal conductance water plasma generation temperature plasma jet in a vapor-gas medium at atmospheric system causes water decomposition, so the water is transformed pressure. Device for contactless plasma activation of water or into a gaseous plasma rich in hydrogen and oxygen. The device aqueous solutions contains a flame UHF-plasmatron with a is very efficient. According to inventors, more than 90% of capacitive coupling, which includes a magnetron and water passing the device is converted. This device can rectangular as well as coaxial waveguides. The coaxial extensively be used for engines, industry and civil boilers, waveguide is hermetically isolated from the rectangular agriculture, chemical industry, and even medicine, as claimed waveguide by a radio-transparent quartz tube-insulator. The by the authors. central conductor of the coaxial waveguide is a copper tube configured to supply plasma-forming gas and ends with a Rocke and Wandell disclose a simultaneous on-site production nozzle with a hole to form a directed jet of plasma-forming gas. of hydrogen peroxide and nitrogen oxides from air and water in The working part of flame UHF-plasmatron is placed through a low power flowing liquid film plasma discharge for use in the seal into a sealed chamber containing a vessel with treated agriculture [8]. A reactor system that includes a single reactor water or water solution fixed on a rod-elevator. The invention or a plurality of parallel reactors is disclosed. A method that provides contactless plasma activation of water or aqueous includes: injecting a mixture including liquid water and gas into solutions, enables the exclusion ingress of electrode material at least one electrically-conductive inlet capillary tube of a into the activated liquid, and provides a high degree of purity of continuously flowing plasma reactor to generate a flowing treatment and safety. liquid film region on one or more internal walls of the continuously flowing plasma reactor with a gas stream flowing A similar device useful not only for water treatment is disclosed through the flowing liquid film region, propagating a plasma by Hummel et al. in the patent application submitted to the US discharge along the flowing liquid film region from at least one Patent Office [4]. Here, methods and systems for generating a electrically conductive inlet capillary to an electrically plasma-activated liquid or gas and applying the plasma- conductive outlet capillary tube at an opposite end of the activated liquid for agricultural use are disclosed. A system continuously flowing plasma reactor, dissociating the liquid embodiment includes a hand-held device that can be pointed water in the plasma discharge to form a plurality of dissociation and directed at different target areas of a plant. A method products, producing hydrogen peroxide and nitrogen oxides embodiment includes generating a plasma discharge in a gas from the plurality of dissociation products. Both nitrogen environment or a liquid environment and applying the gas or oxides and hydrogen peroxide are useful for the sterilization of liquid to a plant. agricultural products in an ecologically benign manner. Another method for plasma treatment of water is disclosed by Go and Lim [9] presented an invention related to a plasma Rothschild [5]. The invention generally concerns a machine generator for agriculture and stockbreeding. The plasma that creates and infuses charged air products into a flowing generator comprises a pair of main bodies, disposed of in an water system. A plasma discharge is not in direct contact with upper portion and a lower portion with a predetermined gap the flowing water but is separated from the plasma by a void between, a plurality of electrode rods, installed in a direction volume space. The resulting activated water may be used as an perpendicular to the pair of main bodies and evenly spaced, an industrial wash, antibacterial wash, a medicinal drink, or can be electrode plate installed in a direction perpendicular to the pair used in agriculture, e.g., for irrigation of crops, plants, or seed of main bodies installed behind the plurality of electrode rods treatment. with a predetermined gap between, an electrode sheet disposed on the electrode plate spaced apart from the plurality of 26 electrode rods with a predetermined gap between, configured to diaphragm-type electrolysis units. Further removing water generate plasma due to a reaction between a plurality of remained on the surface of products after the washing process electrode rods and current, and an insulating plate interposed by blowing with the use of gaseous plasma flow until complete between the electrode sheet and an electrode terminal provided removal of water is achieved. Plasma is produced in a medium on the electrode plate to prevent moisture from being of inorganic gas or a mixture of inorganic gases at a frequency introduced into the electrode terminal. The plasma generator of electromagnetic field of 4-40 MHz and at specific produces reactive gaseous species and radiation in the electromagnetic power of plasma discharge. Apparatus has at ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet range of wavelengths, which least one washing chamber, one drying chamber, one or more was found beneficial for sterilization or at least disinfection of transportation mechanisms, one or more diaphragm-type different products. electrolysis units with power sources, a plasma source with two electrodes, a plasma guide, a high-frequency generator, one or Lee [10] invented a technique for sterilization of water using more reservoirs for inorganic gas, and vacuum oil-free pump. gaseous plasma technology. The invention relates to a water The effect of this method is prolonged shelf life of fruit and sterilization device for agriculture and fishery having a variable vegetable products. plasma device that reduces the costs of production by simplifying an existing plasma generating device. It also raises The search for patents, as presented in this document, indicates the productivity of agriculture and fishery and enables the use that both direct and indirect plasma treatment result in a good of seawater and freshwater for agriculture and fishery by finish of agricultural products. The indirect plasma treatment properly sterilizing harmful bacteria existing in the seawater has a definitive advantage that treated material is preserved and freshwater by controlling the quantity of plasma through since the products are exposed to radicals only (not to powerful frequency variability. The water sterilization device for gaseous discharges). On the other hand, direct plasma treatment agriculture and fishery having a variable plasma device is faster since the concentration of reactive species within the according to the present invention comprises a power supply plasma is, by definition, more substantial than in any medium device for supplying power necessary for the device, a water treated by plasma. The users can choose between these two pump for receiving power from the power supply device and extremes or use a combination of direct and indirect treatment. introducing water, a variable plasma generating device for In such a case, the liquid can be treated with a powerful sterilizing water being introduced from the water pump by discharge, while products are exposed to mild plasma generating plasma and controlling the strength of generated conditions. plasma by controlling the frequency of power supplied, a first connection pipe having one side intercommunicating with the water pump and the other side intercommunicating with the variable plasma generating device, a sterilized water storage tank for storing water sterilized and discharged by the variable plasma generating device, a second connection pipe having one side intercommunicating with the variable plasma generating device and the other side intercommunicating with the sterilized water storage tank, a pollutant and foam discharge device installed on the top of the sterilized water storage tank to discharge foam and ozone, and a sterilized water discharge hole installed on the bottom of the sterilized water storage tank to discharge sterilized water in the sterilized water storage tank. Liu et al. disclosed a method for improving the germination of Stevia rebaudiana seeds. The method relates to a crop seed treatment technique in the technical field of agriculture. The method comprises the following steps: selecting and sterilizing seeds, preparing 6 to 8% aqueous solution of polyethylene glycol, soaking seeds into the prepared solution at the Figure 4: Number of patent applications registered in different temperature between 20 and 30 °C for 24 to 48 hours, then countries. filtering seeds, cleaning seeds by using clear water, and airing seeds for later sowing. It is generally recognized that molecules 4. CONCLUSIONS of the polyethylene glycol can change biological membrane Several innovative techniques have been protected with patent structures of various cells in cell engineering, in a way that lipid applications in the interdisciplinary field of plasma agriculture. molecules on a plasma membrane at a contact point of two cells The most innovative countries are China and Russia. The patent are dispersed and recombined. These molecules can also change applications span from direct treatment of seeds, plants, or the osmotic regulation capability of plants, influence on plant crops to indirect treatments using gaseous plasma to modify the physiology and are favorable for absorbing nutrition and chemical properties of liquids. Several techniques are inducing the activity of stimulation cells. The method can applicable on a large scale, but the beneficial results in terms of remarkably improve the capability of resisting adverse improved germination, growth, or better quality or quantity of situations when the Stevia rebaudiana seeds are germinated so crops are rarely reported. Plasma agriculture, therefore, remains that these seeds still maintain a higher germination rate and a technological challenge. Although the scientific literature germination energy in adverse situations. reports better germination of seeds treated by gaseous plasma either directly or indirectly, the descriptions of patented As early as in 2007, Russian inventors disclosed a technique for solutions lack of quantitative reports. In most cases, patent treating fruit [12]. The processing and storage of fresh-cut literature does not mention any field experiments, so it is not vegetables, berries, fruits in agriculture, food-processing, and easy to judge direct applicability. Another deficiency of patent related branches of industry is disclosed. The method involves literature is the lack of details about the exact treatment washing fruit and vegetable products with water preliminarily parameters. The patents disclose types of discharges used for activated in one or two electrode chambers of one or more 27 plasma generation but hardly mention the useful range of [6] Chieh, L. J. Agriculture plasma liquid apparatus, discharge parameters. TW201914969 (A), (2019). [7] LU, Z. L., ZHAO, W. X., BI, LY, High Temperature 5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thermal Conductance Water Plasma Generation System, This work was supported by the EU Regional Development CN205855991 (U), (2017). Fund and Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, project [8] Rocke, B. R, Wandell, B., Simultaneous On-Site PLASMA SEED TREATMENT [contract #C3330-18-952005]. Production of Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitrogen Oxides from Air and Water in a Low Power Flowing Liquid Film 6. 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[5] Rothschild, A., Machine and Method For Activated Water, US2016016142 (A1), (2016). 28 Rare earth-based permanent magnets: A proposed way to the circular economy Kristina Žužek Rožman Xuan Xu Spomenka Kobe Department for Nanostructured Department for Nanostructured Department for Nanostructured Materials, Jožef Stefan Institute Materials, Jožef Stefan Institute Materials, Jožef Stefan Institute Jamova 39, Ljubljana Jamova 39, Ljubljana Jamova 39, Ljubljana 00 386 1 4773 877 00 386 1 4773 898 00 386 1 4773 251 tina.zuzek@ijs.si xuan.xu@ijs.si spomenka.kobe@ijs.si Tomaž Tomše Benjamin Podmiljšak Sašo Šturm Department for Nanostructured Department for Nanostructured Department for Nanostructured Materials, Jožef Stefan Institute Materials, Jožef Stefan Institute Materials, Jožef Stefan Institute Jamova 39, Ljubljana Jamova 39, Ljubljana Jamova 39, Ljubljana 00 386 1 4773 545 00 386 1 4773 818 00 386 1 4773 418 tomaz.tomse@ijs.si benjamin.podmiljsak@ijs.si saso.sturm vključiti jih v industrijsko pomembne procese, da bi zmanjšali ABSTRACT odvisnost Slovenije in Evrope od ekonomsko in strateško občutljivih zalog ter povečali njihovo konkurenčnost na Critical raw materials, especially the rare earth metals like Dy, mednarodnih trgih. Nd, Sm, and recently also the transition metal Co are becoming more and more important to Europe’s future energy Članek prikazuje strateško vprašanje Evropske unije na independence, and offer the ability to be competitive in smart področju prenosa tehnologije, ki bi moralo biti v korist mobility and renewable energy innovation. The primary goal of raziskovalni skupnosti in gospodarstvu. Vendar se to vprašanje the efforts from the Department for nanostructured materials ne obravnava na ustrezni ravni: znanstveniki si skupaj z from Jožef Stefan is to implement the state-of-the-art industrijo prizadevajo rešiti tehnične težave, vendar na politični laboratory-developed & economically efficient technologies for ravni še niso dovolj podprti. the recycling and reprocessing of critical metals from end-of- life products. The aim is to integrate them into industrially Ključne besede relevant processes in order to reduce Slovenia and Europe’s Kritične surovine, redkozemeljski elementi, trajni magneti, Nd- dependence on economically and strategically sensitive supplies Fe-B, Sm-Co and to increase their competitiveness on international markets. This article depicts a strategic issue of the European Union in the field of technology transfer, which should benefit the 1. INTRODUCTION research community and the economy. However, this issue is not being addressed at the proper level: the scientists and EU plans for the transition to a low-carbon society and energy industry are working to solve the technical problems, but are efficiency by 2050 (the so-called European Green Deal) [1] will not supported sufficiently on the political level. require radical solutions, especially with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are projected to reduce by as Keywords much as 80%. The segments that will contribute the most are the development of green energy and electric mobility. The Critical raw materials, rare earth elements, permanent magnets, latter will require highly efficient electric motors to achieve this Nd-Fe-B, Sm-Co goal. The efficiencies of electric motors (mass versus POVZETEK efficiencies) based on permanent metal magnets of rare earth elements (such as Nd2Fe14B and SmCo5, Sm2Co17) both Kritične surovine, zlasti redke zemeljske kovine, kot so Dy Nd, sintered and bonded are known to be higher than induction Sm in v zadnjem času tudi prehodna kovina Co, postajajo vse motors, which contributes mainly in terms of miniaturization of pomembnejše za prihodnjo evropsko energetsko neodvisnost in devices with preserved or even improved efficiencies. From this ponujajo sposobnost konkurenčnosti na področju pametne point of view, permanent magnets are a hot subject to further mobilnosti in inovacij iz obnovljivih virov energije. research with the aim of improving their state-of-the-art properties. However, rare earth metals based on rare earth Primarni cilj prizadevanj Oddelka za nanostrukturne materiale Jožefa Stefana je uvajanje najsodobnejših labora metals are on the list of the most Critical Raw Materials (CRM) torijsko razvitih in ekonomsko učinkovitih tehnologij za recikliranje in important for the EU, which will require their comprehensive predelavo kritičnih kovin iz izrabljenih izdelkov. Cilj je treatment in the form of their complete use without and waste 29 and their efficient recycling of both systems using novel magnets for powertrains in e-vehicles, and consumption is recycling processes that are being developed on the department. expected to grow to 150,000 tons in the next 10 years. Here, the EU is in a difficult position, as it has no active rare earth mines, 2. CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS so it has to import up to 90% of rare earth-based permanent magnets, while European producers of permanent magnets can 2.1 EUs dependency on critical raw be counted on the fingers of one hand. Here, Slovenia is materials and their applications in strongly represented by two manufacturers of permanent permanent magnets magnets, namely Magneti Ljubljana d.d. and Kolektor Group d.d., which have managed to maintain a competitive advantage One of the major problems EU has been facing since 2011 is to this day, that gives Slovenia and enormous potential and ensuring a sustainable access to Critical Raw Materials [2], in advantage. particular elements of the lanthanide group, i.e. rare earths. The group understands 15 + 2 elements, the most characteristic and 2.2 Novel solutions in Rare earths-based useful of which are permanent magnets: Neodymium, permanent magnets circular economy Samarium, Dysprosium and Terbium with lately also Co, that is a transition metal. A key factor influencing that is their natural 2.2.1 The state of the art of the technology abundance and related production in only a few countries, such From SICIRS it is evident that, diverse methodologies for as China, Brazil, Russia, Australia and the Democratic Republic recycling Nd-Fe-B magnets have been summarized in detail by of Congo. Limited access and the political manipulations many authors [4,5,6]. The recycling approaches can be broadly concerning the CRM issues are attributed to the way some of classified into physical/mechanical processing, these countries use trade and tax policies to reserve their natural pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical separation & resources exclusively for their own use. China for the moment recovery. Physical/mechanical processing, including resintering controls as much as 84% of the world's rare earth mineral [7,8], hydrogenation disproportionation desorption and production. Although the trade restrictions that have peaked in recombination [9-11], of sintered Nd-Fe-B magnet scrap will 2011 have declined at the moment, fear of a new material crisis typically have a smaller environmental footprint compared to still persists. recycling routes, which rely on stripping of the REEs. The pyrometallurgical routes can be used to remelt the REE alloys and extract the different REE in the form of oxide, halide, fluoride or other metallic compound which can then be reduced to metallic form [12-17]. However, these pyrometallurgical processes operate at a temperature of around 750–950 °C and are thus energy intensive. Hydrometallurgical recycling processes designed for Nd-Fe-B magnets are promising due to the mild operating temperature, relatively simple equipment and the continuous separation ability [18, 19]. In hydrometallurgical processes, however, Nd-Fe-B magnets are completely dissolved with an acid. The roasting pretreatment at 900 °C is generally required. Iron, which is the major component of Nd-Fe-B magnets (60–70%) consumes large amount of acid, alkali and other precipitation agents that cannot be recycled in the whole process [5, 19]. REEs are concentrated by solvent extraction A Figure 1: Current consumptions of Nd-Fe-B PMs by and then are precipitated with either oxalic or carbonic acid. application and future predictions [3] The precipitate is further calcined at 950 °C to form REOs, which can then be returned to the initial manufacturing process A key component of the Europe Green Deal is to accelerate the for Nd-Fe-B magnets [20]. We also reviewed the patent "transition to sustainable and smart mobility", as transport documents using the queries below, from Patbase document accounts for a quarter of CO2 emissions. That is why the system. Results were the following: The most populated field is electrification of the transport system is receiving large the one including ((Nd2Fe14B or NdFeB or Nd-Fe-B) as earth investments and research at the global level. Company Tesla, as particulate material)) in the title or abstract AND FT=(grain the first mass producer of electric vehicles alone, is increasing boundary*) anywhere in the text. This yielded 97 patent production to 500,000 vehicles by the end of 2020 and with the families. On the other hand, using earth particulate material)). expansion of its production plant in Shanghai and the opening Yielded some less, 74 families. On the other hand the search of a new one in Berlin in the coming years reached as many as showed that ((Nd2Fe14B or NdFeB or Nd-Fe-B) and single one million new e-vehicles on the market. Also, other major car crystal anodic etching is a rather unpopulated field with 0 manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda, Kia, Renault e.g. invest patent families present at the moment and that our technology is significantly in development and e-production. Volkswagen not only operational, but worth exploring in the sense of alone is expected to produce as many as 1.5 million e-vehicles novelty. by 2025. In 2011, the EU gave priority to rare earths as the most critical CRMs, but in the years since, it has focused In the proposed method the Nd2Fe14B grains are recovered by mainly on permanent magnets made out of them based on two electrochemical etching of the bulk sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets alloy systems, namely neodymium-iron-boron (Nd-Fe-B) and or magnet scraps using an anodic oxidation process presented samarium-cobalt (Sm-Co). The latter systems are given the in Fig. 2 [21,22]. In this process the metallic Nd-rich phase in highest priority, as they are crucial in e-vehicles in their drive the grain boundaries is oxidized to Nd3+ as ions on the anode. motors, servo controllers, starting motors and regenerative The liquid electrolyte used in this process is formed of a non- brake generators. The projected consumption and use of aqueous solvent in order to prevent the Nd2Fe14B grains from permanent magnets based on Nd-Fe-B and Sm-Co is shown in oxidation. This allows direct reuse of the collected Nd2Fe14B Figure 1. Today, the industry consumes 50,000 tons of these grains for new magnet making. 30 economically negligible amounts of waste that do not prove economically sustainable for recycling. 2.2.3 The solutions to be used for sustainability Persistent measures to achieve greater sustainability and independence from external suppliers, thus include, among other things, the recycling of industrial wastes and end-of-life products. Permanent magnets based on Nd-Fe-B and Sm-Co systems (as Co, as it is similar to rare earths subjected to major political and economic manipulations) due to the high content of these metals represent the most valuable secondary source of these raw materials. Currently, less than 1% of all rare earths Figure 2: Selective electrochemical etching for recycling of Nd- used are recycled, mainly because they are dispersed in many Fe-B permanent magnets applications, and are difficult to extract. A lot of labor force is therefore needed and the economic calculation does simply not add up. 2.2.2 The economics of the recycling Currently, the only way to recycle rare earth-based permanent One of the purposes of the paper is show that although the magnets from waste streams of electrical and electronic magnets are needed in Europe, the fact that the rare-earth equipment is by crushing and recycling using physical, elements come mostly come from outside Europe presents an chemical or pyrometallurgical pathways, which are costly, intriguing moment in the development of the technology transfer energy consuming and environmentally unfriendly. Upon that processes in Europe, in line with the recycling recommendations. the developed novel feasible and green solutions for recycling REEs-based permanent magnets are of tremendous impact. The The economics of the process of recycling in the field of the rare proposed technology for selective PMs leaching [22] and a earth magnet shows that investing into some local technology related technology (EP 019 197 716.4) for complete that would enable extraction from recycled components would electrochemical PMs leaching and REE recovery are in the benefit the environment and the countries of the EU that do not patent procedure at EU Patent office. Efforts are also being poses rare earth material sources. However, also such advanced made towards permanent magnets circular economy also on the recycling would still carry costs that result in ‘virgin materials’ national (ARRS L2-9213, L2-1829) with Magneti Ljubljana being cheaper. Thus, considering the economics of the processes Ltd and Kolektor Group Ltd and international level via several and the recommendations of the EU, we must conclude that the European projects that encompasses the mentioned industrial changes into a sustainable economy will remain impossible partners in Slovenia and all over EU (ETN-DEMETER, H2020 without legislative changes within the EU that are crucially SUSMAGPRO, ERA MIN II MAXYCLE, EIT RAW needed to encourage this activity and contribute to the circular MATERIALS INSPIRES). Within H2020 proposal economy. SUSMAGPRO TRLs of 7-9 are aimed via three pilot plants for recycling of EoL permanent magnets that are planned in Thus, as a result of our research, we would like to propose some Europe. Recently we got awarded the EIT RAW MATERIALS concrete measures to improve the position of the recycling proposal on recycling REEs-based permanent magnets from processes of the rare earth metal components in the EU. white goods, where we collaborate also and also with Slovenian A novel recycling route for end of life (EoL) Nd–Fe–B magnets companies Domel Ltd, Gorenje Ltd, Surovina Ltd and Zeos is thus proposed based on the electrochemical etching. Ltd. Electrolyte can be recovered by distillation and re-used in a closed-loop thus minimizing safety risks and environmental impacts. Upon that the overall REEs mass balance from the 3. CONCLUSIONS initial magnet is 100% preserved that forms a circular economy. The total energy consumption of the magnet-manufacturing Despite success stories, the challenge still persists when process using the proposed electrochemical recycling route is transferring the technologies form lab scale to functioning estimated to be ~2.99 kWh kg–1, which is much lower than production lines, as the requests from the industry are strictly hydrometalurgy (30.0-33.4 kWh/kg) and directly comparable to connected with the economic feasibility. direct reuse (3.0 kWh/kg) [8], if we consider the conventional additive of the Nd–Pr hydride (4 wt.%), inclining to as feasible However, the proof of concept of the novel technology is possible production, albeit very green and sustainable. We have shown on the lab scale reaching TRLs 3-4 and represents only shown that recycling process costs are actually a barrier in an initiation that a technology could be feasible. Upon that much more investments would have to be made for “technology enlarging the usage of such processes industrially in the EU. transfer” projects, to bridge the Thus we propose a more targeted intervention that would tip the exact TRL gap between 5-7 like balance towards the recycling processes not only in regard to SUSAGPRO. In order for EU to become CO2 zero efficient in the rare earth materials, but all that are not applicable in to compete with the far East when it comes to be CRMs significant enough amounts to be economically viable. The independent, the investments in the whole value chain on situation could greatly be improved if the EU could import the recycling of PMs have to be made. Slovenia for example has an relevant waste from other regions of the world, which would extreme potential to act as a role model or as a feasible enable cost reductions of the processes, based on the quantity. permanent magnet circular economy closed loop example, as it On the other hand, the EU could even – maybe – become self- holds a geographical, professional and economical potential as sufficient in the supply of the rare earth materials. This is also a to serve as a central location for the collection of waste magnets policy that would provide a significant and a wide-ranging and their remanufacturing based on rare earths from the central impact in other European recycling technologies, dealing with and eastern parts of the European Union. The later has been recently successfully recognized by the EIT RAW materials scheme via funded INSPIRES project. The use of local 31 suppliers would significantly reduce carbon emissions and it is products with ‘designer properties’ that exceed those of starting expected that in a few years Slovenia could produce 10 to 40 materials. Waste management, 2015. 44: p. 48-54. tons of Nd-Fe-B alloy magnets per year on the basis of [9] Zakotnik, M., I. Harris, and A. Williams, Possible methods recycling within the European SUSMAGPRO project. And the of recycling NdFeB-type sintered magnets using the successful model could be later applied in different EU HD/degassing process. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, countries, using the recourse from EoL wind mills for example 2008. 450(1-2): p. 525-531 (like Scandinavian countries). However, this is not going to be [10] Farr, M., Production of anisotropic injection moulded possible without legislative changes within the EU that are NdFeB magnets from end-of-life sintered magnets. 2018, crucially needed to encourage this activity and contribute to the University of Birmingham. circular economy, not to forget the most important thing the [11] Lixandru, A., et al., A systematic study of HDDR stimulations from the local governments and European processing conditions for the recycling of end-of-life Nd-Fe-B Investment Bank. magnets. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2017. 724: p. 51- 61. This would strongly encourage local productions of rare earth [12] Shirayama, S. and T.H. Okabe, Selective Extraction and secondary minerals and permanent magnets. Otherwise, the Recovery of Nd and Dy from Nd-Fe-B Magnet Scrap by European rare earth industries i.e. permanent magnets will Utilizing Molten MgCl2. 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Tudor, Commercial-scale recycling of 508.4 NdFeB-type magnets with grain boundary modification yields 32 Real-time fluorescence lifetime acquisition system Matej Mrak Rok Pestotnik Rok Dolenec Andrej Seljak Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation Jožef Stefan Institute Jožef Stefan Institute Jožef Stefan Institute Jožef Stefan Institute Jamova cesta 39, Jamova cesta 39, Jamova cesta 39, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia +386 1 477 3381 / / +386 477 3287 Rok.Pestotnik@ijs.si Rok.Dolenec@ijs.si Andrej.Seljak@ijs.si Matej.Mrak@ijs.si ABSTRACT fluorescence lifetime (FL) imaging microscopy was nearly 155 We have developed a novel method for measuring the MUSD; the actual production was about 545 units. fluorescence lifetime instead of or in addition to its intensity. The major players in global Fluorescence Lifetime We demonstrated an acquisition system that is extremely fast, Imaging Microscopy market include Leica, Olympus, Zeiss, compact and significantly less expensive than current Becker & Hickl, HORIBA, PicoQuant, Bruker, Nikon, Lambert approaches. We are seeking for partners among optical and Jenlab. instrumentation manufacturers for licensing and technical cooperation agreements. We expect this technology to enter the biotech market, which alone (but not limited to the FL imaging microscopy) is This article covers the analysis of technology transfer processes expected to hit 727b USD in 2025 [5], providing tangible in correlation with expectations of newly developing biotech benefits for society. Many emerging applications require market. It concludes that technologies scaling project synergies sensors with a wide field of view, good spatial resolution and and outreach are of crucial importance for the development of very fast acquisition times - a parameter envelope not yet the technology for market purposes. reached by present research. Our goals are to develop a device that uses a wide field Keywords illuminator (diffused laser) and a wide field detector, using a Fluorescence lifetime; silicon photomultiplier; waveform single laser pulse, capable of continuous sub millisecond frame sampling; knowledge transfer; innovation; patent search; role of rates. Global Fluorescence-Lifetime Imaging Microscopy market analysis, technology commercialization. market is projected to reach $ 1.8 Billion by 2020, with a GAGR of 4% from 2016, and Asia will have a big dynamic 1. INTRODUCTION momentum on the market growth. This paper describes the application of high-energy physics technology for real-life applications. This is an area, 2. TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION which has always been considered to have a large potential, but 2.1 Background too little has been realized. In particular in the detector area Fluorescence is the emission of light by certain substances estimates show that there could be numerous unused (fluorophores) after they are illuminated with light of specific technologies. excitation wavelengths. Measurements of the fluorescent light Based on the mature technology developed for high-energy emitted by various samples are used in a very wide range of physics, we developed a technology that targets primarily at applications, such as imaging of cell structures, tracking of medical, biomedical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields, antibodies and DNA sequencing in biology, detection of cancer all of which experience significant market growth in the current cells in medicine and quality control in pharmacy. Besides time period, in particular in the past ten years. The application intensity, the fluorescence lifetime (FL) can also be measured, areas include a detection of the presence of certain organic as pioneered in application of fluorescence lifetime imaging compounds, measurements of the properties of samples or microscopy (FLIM). This has many advantages over the base tissue through the concentration of certain organic compounds, method, such as independence from fluorophore concentration, non-invasive determination of the chemical environment in the reduced damage to the sample (photobleaching) and ability to sample and non-invasive medical diagnostics and guided measure properties of the microenvironment in which the surgery. fluorophore is located (pH, oxygenation…). In this article we will first touch upon the promising Currently, FL measurements require sophisticated and market capitalization. We will describe the technology at hand expensive instrumentation. Typically, the fluorescence lifetime into more details, including the benefits, arising from it, the is determined with time correlated single photon counting state-of-the-art and the technology scaling. Secondly, we will (TCSPC) method, which is intrinsically slow. Mature touch upon the patent databases searches which assisted us in technological developments in the field of high energy physics estimating the technology potential, commercialization and IP (HEP) enable direct waveform sampling technology as protection strategy. Lastly, we will touch upon further important and a very cost-effective tool for fast FL applications. technology development and market development plans. By measuring the photodetector signal resulting from complete fluorescence response, FL can be estimated even from a single 1.1 Market evaluation excitation pulse. In the last several years, global market of fluorescence Real-time Fluorescence Lifetime Acquisition System lifetime imaging microscopy developed smoothly, with an (RfLAS) was assembled from low cost, commercially available average growth rate of 4%. In 2016, global revenue of 33 components in order to demonstrate the feasibility of such Secondly, having built up the necessary experience, and approach. Calibrated FL standards with lifetimes in the range of deep understanding of the system, we will make an integrated 2 ns – 9 ns were used to test RfLAS accuracy and performance scalable sensor, the real breakthrough in FL high speed for different levels of available fluorescence light intensity and imaging. The sensor will integrate efficiency optimized SiPMs, photodetector configurations. Using our prototype, we show bump bonded to the electronics wafer, which could be produced that FL of all three fluorescence standards could be measured in different technologies, with different performances, for with an accuracy better than 10% from only a single pulse of different applications. excitation light, which improves below 1% level by averaging Taking in consideration mass production, these sensors can be over only a few tens of pulses. Therefore, RfLAS demonstrates made at a very competitive price. CMOS technology is also that FL can be acquired practically in real-time for a much very affordable at scale, has a known roadmap and is very well lower price point than current state of the art. supported. These factors provide a secure path to aggregate The three critical components – the photodetector, scalable solutions. waveform sampler and data processing algorithms – lend themselves perfectly for implementation in a single chip. These 2.4 Project synergies and outreach are also areas of expertise of the authors, and the institutes they During the initial phases of the technology development, are affiliated with. The envisioned integrated detector would we were searching for cooperation with potential users and push the performance and robustness beyond the present state, partners, focused on fast FL acquisition. We will be able to and more importantly, using CMOS technology at scale, would quickly form a consortium capable of advancing RfLAS. collapse the price per unit, opening possibilities to use FL Laying the foundation in the dissemination program, we should obtained information in much wider areas as currently build quickly a community of users to provide application test available. cases and feedback, and most importantly increment to TRL 5- 7. 2.2 State of the art For additional dissemination, we intend to leverage one of In TCSPC method, FL is determined from a histogram of the strong points of our technology, its simplicity. We will take measured time delays between excitation pulses and individual an abundant amount of knowledge gained and develop an open fluorescence photons, resulting from said excitations. If more source, open hardware, single channel FL acquisition toolkit, than one photon is detected per pulse, the accuracy is degraded composed of hardware solutions based on off the shelf (pile-up effect), so the fluorescence signal has to be at a single components, data acquisition software and library of end-user photon level. The excitation pulse has to be repeated many experience. The feedback and exposure will directly benefit the times in order to obtain sufficient time delay histogram project, and increase the speed of development. statistics, leading to long acquisition times and possible photo bleaching of the sample. 2.5 Technology application and The acquisition times are even longer if imaging is required. In this case, laser excitation is scanned over the demonstration cases sample, and sufficient TCSPC statistics have to be accumulated Measurement of FL is a still growing field of research with for each scan position (image pixel). Alternative imaging many applications not realized. A technique, improved in approach is possible with single photon avalanche diode acquisition speed, and even more importantly, lower entry cost, (SPAD) arrays, recently developed specifically for FL has the potential to advance many fields of science and open application with time-to-digital converters (TDC) implemented new industrial applications. We have discussed concrete on a single chip. These devices have an intrinsic limiting factor, applications with potential users, including a pharmaceutical the sensitive area is somewhere between 1% and 20 % [1] as production company, high tech company developing most of the space is used for electronics, and prototypes have a monitoring and metrology technology for food industry and relatively small pixel count. national health institute. FL is also measured using frequency-domain technique, With just this batch of early adopters, RfLAS would improve where it is derived from phase shift between modulated development and monitoring of biopharmaceutical production. excitation illumination and resulting modulation in fluorescence This includes an increase of the quality of food available to signal, and gated detection, where FL is estimated from ratios consumer and reduction of wasted food by measuring the of fluorescence signal at specific time gates. ripeness of fruits and detecting presence of bacteria on food products; advance the accuracy and speed of diagnostics of Currently, FL measurements require sophisticated and histological samples; and contribute to a wide range of material expensive setups, and certain time to reconstruct the FL. In case science research. of imaging, a few frames per second can be achieved at best for sufficient image resolutions [2]. 3. ANALYSIS OF MARKET OPTIONS 2.3 Technology scaling 3.1 Technology assessment In our development plan, we will first build from the Supported by a group of specialists we performed a state selected off the shelf components, a highly integrated multi- of the art examination for the mentioned technology. channel version of the device. It will be fully decoupled from We found that technology has a significant advantage over laboratory equipment; therefore, it can be lent or sold to early the current state of the art. Some technologies touch on similar adopters. These are crucial for us, we need early feedback, measurement methods and use language and definitions in dissemination, and to validate and demonstrate the device in a patent claims to cover a very wide range of almost all real operational environment. An extremely important aspect is measurement options, but do not cover the details of also presence on the market. Having a community of users, and photodetector implementation. This is one of the significant a device that can be demonstrated in real operating improvements of our technology: we use silicon environments will create the foundation for the third step. photomultipliers (for photodetectors), in connection with the 34 digitization of the signal from the photodetector using a chip 2.Fluorescence AND lifetime AND photomultiplier AND and the principle of fast waveform detection. waveform AND sampling (6 records) There are also related patent applications and patents, 3.Fluorescence AND waveform AND photodetector (51 which describe significantly slower, more complex devices or records) use alternative technology (TCSPC), which requires higher 4.Fluorescence AND waveform AND sampling AND laser energy input to operate. The higher laser energy also photomultiplier (14 records) results in photobleaching, which is in our technology avoided due to single photon regime of acquisition. The most related The results obtained with the second, third and fourth patent application, which also uses a silicon photomultiplier in search sets contain 71 results. Upon examination, 6 of the 51 conjunction with the use of a digitization chip and direct hits turned out to be highly relevant and 2 relevant. Of the other waveform sampling, does not describe a significant 14, 4 were highly relevant and two relevant, and of the last six, improvement in technology. These are namely the simultaneous 3 were highly relevant and 2 relevant. It turned out that the capture of several sensors simultaneously, capturing the most relevant search was under point 4, where the largest share spectrum, which is an important analytical contribution in the of relevant hits was. However, the search under point 3 is also submitted patent application of the presented device in the important for finding market orientation. analysis and processing of fluorescent times. 3.2 Benefits and market placement A silicon photomultiplier is a very fast photodetector, whose response to a single photon is faster than the fluorescence lifetime. Therefore, the shape of the electronic signal, i.e., the waveform, output by the silicon photomultiplier will follow the exponential decay of the fluorescence light resulting from a single pulse of excitation. If the resulting waveform is sampled with sufficient accuracy, the need for long accumulation of single-photon arrival times and large excitation light intensities can thus be avoided. Excitation light with low intensities reduces the risk of photo bleaching. Silicon photomultiplier photodetectors and waveform sampling chips developed for the needs of high-energy physics experiments have become low-cost, off-the-shelf components. Thus, the method allows a cost-effective way to measure the fluorescence Figure 1: Top Assignees in the World in the field of lifetime and, at the same time, avoids lengthy data acquisition fluorescence lifetime measurements and photo bleaching of the sample. Even though we kept in mind that a proper Freedom-To- The main advantages of the method proposed over TCCSP Operate analysis (FTO) can only be performed when the are cost-effective compared to common TCCSP technology, product is defined, the patent analysis also has given the long accumulation of single-photon arrival times and large authors insight into which companies have shown an interest in excitation light intensities of TCCSP are improved and this type of technology. Top Assignees in the World can be excitation light with low intensities reduces the risk of photo found in Figure 1. Derwent Innovation overview of the field bleaching. shows a current prevalence of US Universities and Japanese The technology is in late early stage of development and is companies in the closest technology searches. fully available for demonstration. It has been developed with Due to the results of the review of the state of the art, we the core funding of Slovenian Research Agency and also decided to prepare documentation for the disclosure of the supported in part by ATTRACT Phase I. Due to the situation in official invention. it makes sense that intellectual property is the technology and market field, it was determined, that it is properly registered with the JSI (it can also be used as a high relevance that its IPR status is arranged. technical improvement / hidden knowledge) - also in terms of the possibility of rewarding inventors for inventions created 3.3 Database searches during working hours. We have prepared an overview of the state of the art with the help of the commercial patent database Derwent Innovation. 3.4 Market assessment In the review, we considered patent applications and patents The size of the market for measuring fluorescence time, filed anywhere in the world, and searched using the following according to data from companies engaged in market research, key phrases: fluorescence lifetime, silicon photomultiplier, is currently estimated at over 250 mil. EUR at an estimated waveform sampling, and a specific content keyword that the average annual growth, since 2016, somewhere around 4%. The authors of this contribution consider as a part of their secret advantage over the existing offer is mainly in the relatively knowhow and is not going to be revealed. favorable design / price of the technology (silicon photomultiplier), speed of data capture and processing, We tested different combinations of words and compared prevention of photobleaching and especially in the possibility the obtained results with each other. We reviewed the results of of simultaneous capture of multiple wavelengths of light, the following search strings in more detail: obtaining important additional information for further 1.Fluorescence AND lifetime AND silicon AND processing. photomultiplier AND waveform AND sampling AND specific Of course, the market analysis would be more significant content keyword (No records) and in particular more reliable, if we could identify the first specific application(s) to be addressed by the technology, and 35 then count the potential end users and multiply by the assumed The physical aspect requires multiple R&D cycles which is price of the equipment to arrive at an accessible first market. slow and costly. To mitigate the failure in this task, we will start This is an ongoing process which we hope to continue in the by assembling some of the ideas we already have on low cost next steps. CMOS fabs and unveil potential issues toward high integration. At each iteration, interested users shall be able to test our We have already established contacts with companies, but devices in their respective environments. without adequate protection of intellectual property, contacts cannot grow into more serious forms of conversations and 4.2 Liaison with student teams and socio- exchange of technical information. economic study Following proper registration of intellectual property with Our group are open for collaborations, and look forward to the JSI, the marketing plan is expected to include: (i) the establish reliable partnership with users, partners and preparation and publication of a technology offering in stakeholders. Our plan envisages their presence from the very commercial databases; (ii) contacting the main players from the beginning and will provide support in their future endeavors, by list we created as part of internal market research; (iii) providing them with better and more advanced instruments. Of depending on the response from the main players, active special interest are Master students, the next generation of marketing to other potential partners (through direct contact of STEM engineers, which will, one hopes, adopt our technology. potential partners, participation in international partnership It is very rewarding having the possibility to empower the events and active marketing within sectoral groups, a project of younger generation, and give them tools to cover the fear of the European Commission). missing out new opportunities in such an early stage, searching for other possible applications of the developed chip, that may 3.5 Continuation of intellectual property include PET, encrypted LIDAR, and other machine vision protection applications Given the high technological potential (according to the state of the art) and the high market potential, it makes sense to 5. CONCLUSIONS apply to the Office for the Protection of Intellectual Property, The researchers come from a Slovenian public research which conducts a full test, UK-IPO, which we also propose to organization. Their research involves experimental particle find out within 6 months the invention is new and on an physics on large particle accelerators and development of inventive level. Namely, we will receive an international complex detectors. They have analyzed their options with opinion on the patentability of the technology (ISR - transferring the technology in question, performed market and International Search Report) from a certified ISA (International technology assessment and decided upon an IP and market Search Authority), on the basis of which we will be convinced strategy. Future steps involve in particular wider interaction of the novelty and inventive step of the proposed technology. with potential customers and further development towards a The selection of an office that performs a full test is also a product for the market. precondition for co-financing the work of patent attorneys Even though the process of the transfer is described in a within the Technology Transfer project financed by Slovenian historically relevant manner, the authors also acknowledge, that Ministry of Science and Sports. there have been many setbacks within the process itself. It is not Technology and market assessments proved the relevance that every step has been performed flawlessly, without mistake, and the need for patent application protection. setback, delay or disappointment. For example, it took a long time to arrange the internal take up of the technology at the 3.6 Technology commercialization public research organization, even longer to arrange for the dual We are in the process of obtaining IP protection for the ownership between the two primary owners, both public core aspects of our development, with patent applications research organizations. We need to point out these facts, currently filed in UK and European offices. We are in talks with although we are, for non-disclosure issues not entitled to two companies interested in technology, with one we are in the discuss the details here. process of signing NDA. Other private entities expressed The partners are sought among optical instrumentation interest for the development of front ends and data display manufacturers. As a public research organization, the software. The multichannel instrument will support our researchers are available for different sorts of collaboration: commitment to advance as quickly as possible to step three of Potential partners are offered a license to the granted patent our development program, to enable the community and users under licensing agreement. Technical cooperation for the to have on disposal a price competitive and robust instrument development of a complete instrumentation device for for their application. measuring the fluorescence lifetime by this method is also considered a viable option. 4. FURTHER TECHNOLOGY, IP AND The timing of technology development is suitable for MARKET DEVELOPMENT PLANS inclusion in technological processes in the market. With the 4.1 Envisioned risks analysis of the market and patent saturation, we gained an overview of the state of the art and the possibilities for further Our main target is the development program of highly market orientation. In our opinion, with the timely protection of integrated sensors, potentially having some degree of data intellectual property, we have achieved an optimal position for processing on chip. Modelling, design, production, assembly further marketing activities. and testing of such devices are, in a vast majority, also areas of expertise of the authors [6, 7], and the institutes they are affiliated with. We intend to prepare a simulation of such a 6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS device, to predict its performance and share the performance This project has received funding from the ATTRACT envelope with early adopters to shape its final form. project funded by the EC under Grant Agreement 777222. 36 Technology marketing support has been obtained through CTT, [4] Tsai, H. M. et al., 2017. Note: Rapid measurement of JSI. fluorescence lifetimes using SiPM detection and waveform sampling, Review of scientific instruments, 88: pp. 7. REFERENCES 096107. [1] Bruschini, C. et al., 2019, Single-photon avalanche diode [5] Biotechnology market analysis accessed 11/8/2020 imagers in biophotonics: review and outlook, Light: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global- Science & Applications, Nature. biotechnology-market [2] Liu, X. et al., 2019. Fast fluorescence lifetime imaging [6] Seljak, A., et. al., 2018, Prototype readout system for a techniques: A review on challenge and development, multi Mpixels UV single-photon imaging detector capable Journal of Innovative Optical Health Sciences, 12(5): pp. of space flight operation, JINST 13(02): pp. T02003- 1930003. T02003. [3] Ritt, S. et al., 2010, Application of the DRS chip for fast [7] Dolenec, R., et al., 2017, Ultrafast detection in particle waveform digitizing, Nuclear instrument and methods in physics and positron emission tomography using SiPMs, physics research A, 623, pp. 486 – 488. Nuclear instrument and methods in physics research A, 876, pp. 257 – 259. 37 Regulated toxicity-testing: Spinning out a company in a rapidly changing market Janez Štrancar Špela Stres Jožef Stefan Institute Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation Jamova 39 Jožef Stefan Institute 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Jamova 39 +386 1 477 3226 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Janez.strancar@ijs.si Spela.stres@ijs.si ustanovah ustvari povezan novi IP. Prikazuje, kako postaja ABSTRACT omenjeni IP izziv za institucijo, in korake, ki jih je treba sprejeti, da se tehnologija pretvori v podjetje v nek turbulenten sektor. Today, various chemicals and materials are introduced into our daily life. To guarantee their safety, number of tests have to be Članek se loti tudi glavne dileme, kako naj nove tehnološke applied, ranging from simple testing on cell cultures ( in vitro) to rešitve ostanejo skrite, če jih morajo regulatorji najprej sprejeti. costly animal tests ( in vivo). In case chemicals are planned to be S tem je povezano tudi vprašanje, kako lahko prepričamo odbore delivered to a human body, many clinical tests are also required na raziskovalnih institucijah in tudi vlagatelje, da zadevna to be performed on humans. Logically, earlier stages of testing tehnologija dejansko ima (ogromen) poslovni potencial. are used in selection, for example, of drug candidates or vaccines, or in early decision, for example, to remove dangerous materials Ključne besede from R&D pipelines as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the very Biotehnologija, spinout podjetje, prenos intelektualne lastnine, expensive intermediate step – in vivo animal-based testing often napovedovanje bolezni, nadomestki za živalska testiranja. provides wrong answers. Alternatives are being searched for and entire market is about to change with political decisions 1. INTRODUCTION overtaking scientific and technological developments. This article covers a relatively new field of how to deal with a 1.1 The prior art of the technology situation arising from the fact that an associated novel IP is Currently, drug, vaccine and material development workflows generated in public research institutions. It depicts how it heavily rely on expensive animal testing, used to reduce selection becomes challenging for the institution and steps to be taken to of possible candidates later on entering the preclinical and spin the technology out into a company to a particular turbulent clinical testing phases that need to prove these candidates do not sector. harm human health. Unfortunately, molecular driven disease The article also touches upon the main dilemma on how to keep mechanisms are very much different between test animals and the novel technology solutions hidden if they need to be adopted humans [1], leading to almost catastrophic 95% probability of by the regulators first. Related to this is also the question, how failure of, for example, drug candidates at the end of drug can one convince the committees at the research institutions as developments cycle [2]. well as the investors that the technology in question actually do This makes the later extremely cost inefficient with costs of 300 hold (enormous) business potential. - 2000 MIO $ per drug development [3]. Other sectors, such as Keywords material safety testing, somewhat ignore this fact and stoically wait for the solution that more exposed and rich pharma sector Biotechnology, spin out, IP transfer, disease prediction, animal can bring out. alternatives. To boost the launch of numerous new material and chemicals in POVZETEK a safe, hazard-free way, the material-related health adverse effects should be more reliably predicted [4,5]. Currently, the Danes se v naše vsakdanje življenje uvaja različne kemikalije in most promising alternatives involve test assays [6] and QSAR materiale. Da bi zagotovili njihovo varnost, je treba uporabiti [7,8] models, but neither in vitro nor in silico tools can reliably številne teste, od preprostih preskusov na celičnih kulturah ( in predict in vivo adverse outcomes [9,10]. Particularly, the vitro) do dragih testov na živalih ( in vivo). Če je predvideno, da models unsuccessfully predict the systemic and chronic adverse se kemikalije vnašajo v človeško telo, je treba na ljudeh opraviti effects [11]. tudi veliko kliničnih testov. Logično je, da se prejšnje faze The need of urgent development of more reliable prediction testiranja uporabljajo pri izbiri, na primer pri ožanju nabora have been expressed by all the important policy- and decision- kandidatov za zdravila ali cepiv, ali pri zgodnji odločitvi, na primer za čimprejšnjo odstranitev makers around the world (OECD, US EPA, NIH, EC, ECHA, potencialno nevarnih snovi iz etc.), which have highlighted the necessity of exploring the razvojnih aktivnosti. Žal zelo drag vmesni korak - testiranje na živalih in vivo pogosto daje napačne odgovore. molecular mechanisms behind and identification of the key Zato se iščejo events in toxicity pathways associated. alternative, ki bodo spremenile celotni trg, kar sicer nakazujejo že politične odločitve, ki prehitevajo znanstveni in tehnološki During the last 5 years, 12 partners, joined within the razvoj. SmartNanoTox European project, have worked pushed the Ta članek zajema sorazmerno novo področje, kako se spoprijeti mechanistic-prediction of toxicity-related diseases beyond the scientific frontiers. Within this consortium, our group of s situacijo, ki izhaja iz dejstva, da se v javnih raziskovalnih biophysicists at Jožef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana has led one 38 of the most distinguished breakthroughs in the field in the last in terms of testing capacity, that originate in limited number of decade – the first mechanistic explanation of the transition from animal tests that can be performed in the EU and other players acute to chronic inflammation. This discovery enabled us to around the world. predict a spectrum of inflammatory outcomes without animal On the other hand, there is new material development sector with tests for the first time [12]. a fast growth of 20% per year that also requires extensive 1.2 The story behind the market and the toxicology testing [17]. With 10.000 patents filed every year to protect various nanomaterials and their applications in addition opportunity to around 50,000 publications on the same subject, this sector The only way to solve the lack of predictive testing that doesn’t will soon require much larger testing capacities. The only rely on animal tests is to develop living organ models (for testing possible boost can thus come from new technologies and new purposes) that develop physiologically relevant responses to players to guarantee material safety throughout new smart various drugs and other toxicants [13,6]. Several research groups prediction approaches [12]. and companies (Figure 1) are struggling to make such animal replacement models in a form of miniature and reliable organ copies. Figure 3: Target markets of acute & short-term repetitive dose toxicology testing in safety assessment of various substances and nanomaterials presented in the context of Figure 1: Small R&D institutes (black arrows), spun out regulatory framework and political decisions. from large universities (grey arrows), led the fields of in vitro model development. Some initial investments are shown with respect to the source – private (black) and public (green). To resume, the market is driving into a dramatic change: • animal tests are considered as golden standard, but are phasing out; • alternatives are lacking, imposing huge pressure on the regulatory bodies. This opens new exciting opportunity for new knowledge-based companies, but at the same time impose great risk due to unpredictable development of regulatory framework. The main contributions of the new companies in this field would Figure 2: The important moments and decisions that boosted cover exactly the market's greatest pains: the animal-free testing transition from animal-based testing into in vitro - or of drugs for human use and the prediction of the drug effects on organoid – based testing and forced big pharmaceutical the molecular level. companies to get more involved into the in vitro model development Not surprisingly, based on our new technology, which is registered as a secret know-how of the Jožef Stefan Institute, we decided to address this market need and participate in the product But, as expected this become a tedious, far from straightforward development and service provision in the new animal-free drug task full of trial-and-error steps. This makes the current testing as explained above. developments look like being stuck and represent big challenge for regulatory bodies, which actually don’t have clear plans on 2. INITIAL STEPS TOWARD THE how to implement political decisions [14] (Figure 2) and public SPINOUT COMPANY pressure (to eliminate animals from testing). The initial steps we took were connected to shaping the idea into In terms of market size, toxicology testing market (Figure 3) a market plan and creating a team to enable the creation of the currently values at around 20.000 MIO EUR per year [15]. market plan, sorting out the IP issues with possible other Around of 10% of this market is driven by REACH EU institutions and settling the IP relations within the research legislation [16], which implies testing procedures for about organization. thousands of substances that are produced annually with amounts greater than 1 ton per year. 2% of this REACH-associated Interestingly, in the need for a business plan, expressed by any of segment includes acute & short-term repetitive dose exposure our first investing contacts, we faced a lack of the expertise to testing with 10,000 animal tests required per year. Value of this create this business plan. Writing a business plan thus lead to market is around 400 MIO EUR per year. Taking into account complementing the existing team members. In our case, we have that most of the market need to be changed, this clearly represent identified the need for getting involved someone with more a big opportunity for biotech companies that can bring new economic background. This was a strenuous task for a group of alternative solutions to the testing market. Currently, the testing scientists that have rarely think about nonscientific issues. But, market exhibit 12% annual growth. But is soon to reach its limits when solved, another perspective enlightened the problem of 39 value creation leading us to much better vision of what the 3. SPINNING OUT AND THE IP company can do and where it can be after 10 years. Recursively, TRANSFER the business plan have become much more solid while increasing the core team and focusing to its strengths. Generally, a complex knowledge, required to elucidate basic While constructing financial projections for our business plan, mechanisms and further develop mechanisms-based testing or we have “accidentally” discovered where the business models of even disease prediction, as alternative toxicity testing concepts, the current service providers fail and where our scientific logically arise from large publically financed projects that mostly discoveries can really make a difference on a market (and in our run in well-equipped research laboratories in public research budget). As said before, the toxicity testing, as we know today, institutions. requires many in vitro and in vivo tests. Even without clinical The IP created has passed a well-defined procedure that, in our tests, all these tests cost lot of resources, making the business case at Jožef Stefan Institute, involves IP recognition by an very resource-limited and, if you want to pay experts with a expert panel followed by IP transfer to newly registered spin out reasonably good salary, struggling with either low added value company. IP must remain confidential during the processes and or being uncompetitive on the market. The problem is that it is at the same time ambitious enough. This becomes challenging required to run them all, but the results are not really being used due to several reasons: in a smart ways or assembled in bigger picture. They are just there to be reported. • procedures usually involve many different experts and some of them might have competing interests, but are involved in As discussed earlier, in the mean time, our scientific discoveries accordance with their elected position in the panels; brought us several steps further, identifying how to use simple but well defined in vitro tests to predict disease development, that • protection of IP in a form of patents might be problematic was till now possible only with much more expensive animal because the patent application is disclosed to public sooner tests. This in turn release the business model from its limitations than the company might start making revenue to defend its to human resources and make it more knowledge dependent IP, making it more vulnerable; The strategy of filing a patent (with higher added value). This will be beneficial for our and then preventing the disclosure by withdrawing the company and the market, because the company business will be patent it in 18 months (and filing it again, in the same or in more competitive and the market prices will decrease at the same a modified form) has been disregarded. Patents might later time. on be filed, at this point in time the invention is protected as a secret know how; Conceptualizing a new company in our case was a challenging task, yet alone in a field that is about to change dramatically and • hiding IP in a form of secret knowhow might leave the where the constraints are blurring rapidly with time. impression that the inventions are not novel enough; many experts evaluating the proposal for IP recognition and The way that a company can be prepared to deal with such a company-associated business plans might therefore doubt challenge is stricktly by assembling together one big brain with about the potential of the idea; out-of-the-box thinking ability. Inspired by many extraordinary business cases from the human history, we learnt the following • the use of university-internal panels to evaluate invention lessons, while trying to set up our own company, Infinite- disclosures and IP can be considered of limited usefulness biotech: and it remains to be proven that the panel adds value in the • eyes of the VC’s. The core team need to dream about it, feel it by heart, and be ready to invest more than it can predict in the worst The role of IP-transfer-dedicated department is thus even more thought scenarios; important. In our case, both the Center for Technology Transfer • and Innovation at the Jožef Stefan Institute and the Scientific Although there is always one that lead them all, the Council of the Jožef Stefan Institute, were flexible and ambitious brainstorming is the real weapon of the team; the main enough to recognize the dilemma above and support us in all leader needs others to challenge each other while searching possible (right) ways: the IP has been registered by the institute for solutions that really makes the core idea; in a timely manner, the Scientific council confirmed the creation • The core team members must complement each other in of the spinout company and the Center for technology transfer terms of expertise and at the same time be ready to listen to and innovation made way and glued together all the necessary each other and adjust their ideas; nevertheless, they build pieces for the procedures to come together and obtain the general entire story from scratch; so they must function as one big official support. organism; Last but not least, as mentioned before, the IP is often created • Finding market opportunity is hard, but even harder is within larger publically financed projects, likely to involve creating business out of it; the team have to search for their several partners. This inevitably exposed entire process of setting strengths enabling them to create high added value and be up a spin out company to a problem of shared IP, which can delay recognizable by the market; entire process substantially. While some universities almost hysterically claim their shares even when it is hard for them to To conclude, although everyone expects that you have the core prove their participation yet alone their contribution, this team ready and you have already clarified all the business points fortunately did not happen in our case. ahead of writing the business plan itself, its actual the act of assembling the business plan that enables you to clarify of the Partners of the H2020 project SmartNanoTox easily realized that details. It helps you to search for the missing expertise and the core idea has originated from the work of our laboratory. complement the team members as well as to clarify many in However, in relation to multi-partner research projects and particular business/finance related points of the very same shared IP, it is important to distinguish between inventorship and business plan. the commercial rights. Inventorship is well-defined and one can contain inventorship even in larger projects. On the other hand the commercial rights can be shared, but the consortium 40 agreement should clearly state, that the partners will not block addition, any effort of entering the market as soon as possible commercialization. However, in our particular case no partner pays off with better business plan. In particular, it helps a claimed his share – despite the fact that the general trends were company to identify the group of services and products that have clearly defined already in the afore-mentioned H2020 project. higher added value and larger market potential. Further developments of spin out core technologies might thus be heavily 4. SEARCHING FOR THE FIRST influenced with the experiences gained through the first sales INVESTMENT activities. After exploring different possibilities, the best investor turned As expected, the fact that our idea and technology is disruptive out to be a person (“angel”) that is aware of the lack of solution to the established market, adds to the complexity that we have and that can see the market niche your new company is trying to experienced in their search for investors. address. In many cases, he/she is the CEO of already another While transferring the IP might be enough to start making company. He/She is able to clearly see the potential of your service-based revenue, it is actually far from sufficient to make knowledge and is willing to invest his/her resources (and/or revenue from products that allow a company to run into more attract others as well) and wait the minimum amount of time stable and less human-work-dependent business model. Keep in needed for the company to develop its core technologies for the mind that the research labs often focus on the basic mechanisms future. thus developing solutions up to a relatively low technological 5. CASE SPECIFIC DATA AND THE readiness level (TRL). Rarely, the TRL exceeds that of a proof- of-concept or a demonstrator yet alone that of validation of IMPORTANT MILESTONES technology in a lab or real environment. Up to a prototype, which The following details of our case timeline wants to illustrate the is really the one of the most important milestones of the company above and put all the discussion into a proper perspective: to enter the market, there is long way to go. • To speed up the required development cycle, a spin out company Market niche identification: 2017 • urgently needs an investment, which usually exceeds several First idea of the company: July 2018 MIO EUR. And despite the numerous venture capital funds (VC) • Decision to protect IP as secret knowhow: September 2018 and national agencies that all create an impression of • First round to potential investors / contact type / contact straightforward access to financial sources, the investment into a location: December 2018 / scout, mentor / Switzerland business, whose potential is yet to be truly developed, is very • 1st version of the business plan: February 2019 difficult to find. • First Financial plan and complementing the team: March 2019 On a first sight, incubators might look the best option for spin out • Second round to potential investors / contact type / contact company. Nevertheless, they are expected to support startup at location: June 2019 / intermediary / Germany regional or national level. However, it turned out they are • Third round to potential investors / contact type / contact completely inappropriate choice for spin out companies arising location: June 2019 / venture capital (VC) fund / Slovenia from public-funded basic research due to extremely limited • Final decision to make the company a spin out of Jožef financial support that fails to meet the need for large investment Stefan Institute: October 2019 after IP transfer. As stated previously, the TRL of the knowledge • in a given situation rarely exceed the proof-of-concept making it 2nd version of the business plan: October 2019 • far less attractive for direct financial investments. Start / End of the process of IP recognition (as secret knowhow): October 2019 / December 2019 During establishing our spin out company, we have learnt the two • Approval of the scientific council of Jožef Stefan Institute: very important factors that influence the decision of an investor January 2020 to invest into such story are: • Fourth round to potential investors / contact type / contact • location: November 2019 / angel related to venture capital a proof that the entire business endeavor does not belong to a “green field” category; (VC) fund / Austria • Major breakthrough done on scientific side relevant for • a proof that a company can start making revenue associated company business: September 2019 – January 2020 with the core technologies. • Negotiation for IP transfer conditions and formal In business, a “green field” means an idea that can be written on cooperation with date of signing the contracts: February 2020 – July 2020 a piece of paper with a dubious value that might hide lots of • Fifth round to potential investors / contact(s) type / possible pitfalls and obstacles, far from being developed to a contact(s) location: March 2020 – June 2020 / venture TRL high enough to start running even a small revenue. Despite capital (VC) funds & angels / Austria, Switzerland, its more or less clear message, we have noticed a very important Germany difference in feedback of the scouts and VCs related to the IP • origin. At the beginning, we approached them as a team with First demonstrator of the technology planned to use in a potentially powerful idea of the business and they rejects us product: April 2020 • almost instantaneously. Later on, when we approached them Sixth round to potential investors / contact type / contact already as a legal entity with IP transfer in progress, their location: April 2020 / angel, CEO, mentor / Slovenia response has changed. Although they were aware of the origin of • First round to offer services: June 2020 the IP – in both cases it originates from a large/renowned • Complete marketing/sales plan for the company’s services: research institution, their attitude change simply because of the September 2020 fact that there was an expert panel, which has already identified As can be noticed, from the market niche identification to a value of this IP before them. Passing this milestone has clearly complete marketing/sales plan three years have passed. The main brought us closer to reach the final investment. issues we encountered were twofold: Not surprisingly, ability of the company to start making revenue • In the field of registering the technology at the Public with its core knowhow is very important signal to investors. We research organizations (PRO) the deadlines constantly noticed that this is particularly important for large VC funds. In 41 moved because we were not sure if the registration is of the Scientific Council, all at the Jožef Stefan Institute, for their necessary and for what reason; as it turns out, the great support in the process of spinning out the company. registration itself is needed to enable the PRO to officially participate in the creation of the company in Slovenia; these 8. REFERENCES clarifications took about a year to settle in with the team and [1] Yue et al. A comparative encyclopedia of DNA elements in the responsible at the research department; • the mouse genome. Nature 2014 515:355 In the same field the time lag was also a consequence of a rigid PRO structure in the sense of the time urgency in [2] Seok et al. Genomic responses in mouse models poorly which a typical spinout company finds itself; however, the mimic human inflammatory diseases. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. procedures were carried out in the end in a timely manner; 2013 110: 3507. these procedures were ultimately carried out in less than two [3] Al-Huniti, Nidal (June 20, 2013). "Quantitative Decision- months; • Making in Drug Development". AstraZeneca. p. 23. In the field of clarifying internationally on how to create a Retrieved March 13, 2016. suitable team and how to attract with confidence a suitable [4] Bañares et al.,. CompNanoTox2015: novel perspectives amount of financing necessary to pursue with further from a European conference on computational technology development; these procedures took about two nanotoxicology on predictive nanotoxicology, years; the main issue being that a researcher at a PRO is not Nanotoxicology 2017, 11, 839. in a position to devote a significant amount of time into the [5] Clippinger et al., Expert consensus on an in vitro approach development of the market relations; • to assess pulmonary fibrogenic potential of aerosolized With this in mind it needs to be said that an additional issue nanomaterials, Arch. Toxicol. 2016, 90, 1769. might be seen in the state of the mind of the researchers who [6] Huh et al., Reconstituting organ-level lung functions on a believe that themselves are the only people who can chip, Science 2010, 328, 1662. properly present the technology and attract financial [7] Forest et al., Importance of Choosing Relevant Biological support. End Points To Predict Nanoparticle Toxicity with In any case, the marketing and sales plan has been completed in Computational Approaches for Human Health Risk September 2020. We plan to continue with the technology Assessment, Chem. Res. Toxicol. 2019, 32, 1320. development and plan to deliver the services to the market in [8] Dekkers et al., Towards a nanospecific approach for risk early 2021. assessment, Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2016, 80, 46. [9] Maynard et al., React now regarding nanomaterial 6. CONCLUSION regulation, Nat. Nanotechnol. 2016, 11, 998. [10] Nel et al., Policy reforms to update chemical safety testing, Scientific studies have clearly identified the need for a major Science 2017, 355, 1016. change in the toxicity testing framework and the politics decides [11] Drasler et al., In vitro approaches to assess the hazard of to realize this as fast as possible. This has created an exciting nanomaterials, NanoImpact 2017, 8, 99. opportunity for business that can be started directly from basic research discoveries. [12] Kokot et al. Chronic Inflammation Prediction for Inhaled Particles, the Impact of Material Cycling and Quarantining Because of the huge pressure to bring the future into reality faster in the Lung Epithelium. Accepted in Adv.Materials 2020 than the new tech evolves, several milestones have to be met (doi= 10.1002/adma.202003913), linked to BioRXiv almost instantaneously: discoveries of the basic concepts, https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.27.966036 acceptance of the regulatory frameworks and establishment of the alternative testing market (and the trust in the same) that can [13] Jud et al. Ultrathin Ceramic Membranes as Scaffolds for replace the classical animal testing. Investors became reserved, Functional Cell Coculture Models on a Biomimetic Scale. simply because it is such a big step to the future. Despite the fact BioResearch 2015 4:1. that the future is already here and a revolution of the testing [14] REGULATION (EC) No 1907/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN market is inevitable. PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 18 December In June 2019, I have been involved in an interesting discussion 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, on tissue-on-chip technologies and the associated startup Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) - companies. The key dilemma associated with these small https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1907/2014-04-10. companies was: why they still get big investments if they can’t and don’t make big revenues. [15] http://www.altex.ch/resources/altex_2009_3_187_208_Ro Yet. The answer given by the CEO vida.pdf . of one of the first companies of this kind was marvelous: investors invest into teams that will be capable of reacting to the [16] https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/understanding- new market as soon as it will become approved (by the reach. regulators). [17] International Conference on Modern Trends in 7. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Manufacturing Technologies: E.Inshakova et al. World market for nanomaterials: structure and trends 02013 (2017) We want to acknowledge my entire core team to solve numerous & EPO + USPTO search. challenges during the process of setting up the company. I also want to express my gratitude to prof. I. Muševič, head of Condensed Physics Department, and prof. D. Mihailović, head 42 Status quo of computer-implemented inventions in Slovenia and EU Urška Fric Nina Tomić Starc Faculty of Information Studies in Novo mesto Agricultural Institute of Slovenia Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office Technology Transfer Office Ljubljanska cesta 31 A Hacquetova ulica 17 8000 Novo mesto, Slovenia 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia + 386 (0)7 3737 884 +386 (0)1 2805 262 urska.fric@fis.unm.si Nina.TomicStarc@kis.si Property Organization (WIPO), is clearly and precisely defined ABSTRACT in Slovenian and EU legal instruments, this does not apply to In Slovenia there is no legal basis for computer-implemented computer-implemented inventions [2]. A computer- inventions, and in the EU such inventions are not yet clearly implemented invention means any invention the performance of defined. Over the last twenty years there have been many heated which involves the use of a computer, computer network, or debates in the European arena concerning a single legal other programmable apparatus, the invention having one or instrument, but a final solution remains elusive. In Slovenia and more features that are realised wholly or partly by means of a the EU, legal protection of computer-implemented inventions computer program or computer programs1 [3]. Due to the recent thus remains on thin ice: there are certain non-obvious shift in innovation towards things of a digital nature, computer- combinations for obtaining a patent, but ultimately the decisive implemented inventions account for a large proportion of factor may as well be how the patent application is written. This present-day inventions and creations, and as such represent an status quo therefore necessitates an examination of this field: to important segment of intellectual property [5]. Patents and all arrive at a legal basis that would regulate the patenting of other intellectual property rights are the pillars of any computer-implemented inventions it is necessary to identify and innovation system and provide instrumental support in the address the most critical points. This is the issue that this article development of technology and in the growth of national deals with. It starts by presenting examples of computer- economies [6]. And although efforts to put in place appropriate implemented inventions, followed by an overview of the state legal instruments started over two decades ago, they ground to a of play – the status quo concerning legal protection in Slovenia halt in 2005, when, after a series of heated debates, the and the EU. European Parliament voted down a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the patentability Keywords of computer-implemented inventions, which the European Commission (EC) had issued in 2002 [7]. At least part of the Computer-implemented inventions, patent, copyright, status reason why there is still no appropriate legal instrument is that quo, Slovenia, EU. such inventions are highly specific and demonstrating their technical contribution2 and industrial applicability3 may pose a 1. INTRODUCTION significant challenge. But to a large extent, the reasons lie After Slovenia joined the European Union (EU), adopted the elsewhere – perhaps in the poor understanding of certain euro, and entered the Organisation for Economic Cooperation exemptions that apply in granting patent protection to and Development (OECD), its integration into the European computer-implemented inventions. arena drastically improved, as did its international competitiveness. At present, information technology and This status quo necessitates an analysis of this field and requires digitalisation are highly developed, the country’s rankings in a that the most critical points be identified and addressed in variety of international indices prove that Slovenia is an trying to create a legal basis for the patenting of computer- advanced and digitalised country. Other EU members are implemented inventions in Slovenia and the EU. This article likewise considered advanced and digitalised, as the cutting- presents computer-implemented inventions, the history thereof, edge digital technologies they use make it possible to upend and examples past and present. The focus is on the status quo in existing business models and create new ones, facilitate the this field, in Slovenia and the EU, whereby we explore the development of new products and services, improve the possible ways of securing legal protection for computer- efficiency and competitiveness of the economy, and contribute implemented inventions with the current legal instruments, in to socio-economic development in general [1]. The particular when such inventions can be patented and when they digitalisation of the entire society and economy underpinned by intensive use of information and communication technologies has significant growth potential and as such provides the 1 A computer program is an algorithm written in a programming groundwork for the long-term development and language (e.g. C++, JavaScript, PHP, Python, etc.) that can run on a competitiveness of Slovenia, the EU, and Europe in general [1]. computer [4]. 2 Technical contribution means a contribution to the state of the art in a We live in an era where information technology may be field of technology that is new and not obvious to a person skilled in considered one of the most important industries; consequently, the art. It is assessed by consideration of the difference between the management of industrial property and copyright, which are in state of the art and the scope of the patent claim considered as a whole, the domain of intellectual property rights and are the subject of which must comprise technical features, irrespective of whether or not this article, are extraordinarily important. these are accompanied by non-technical features [3]. 3 Industrial applicability assumes that an invention is applicable in Whereas the legal protection of intellectual property rights, as industry if the subject of the invention can be produced or used in any defined by the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual economic activity, agriculture included [8]. 43 can be copyrighted. Finally, we highlight the open issues that vehicles to be recognised as computer-implemented invention, should inform future work, in particular in the context of how numerous experts will need to identify intellectual property and where technology transfer offices (TTO) can help issues related to autonomous vehicle technology, and to accelerate the adoption of such legal instruments and improve navigate the complex intellectual property landscape within this their clarity. rapidly developing sector [12]. 2. COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED 2.2 Status quo of Legal Framework: INVENTIONS Slovenia 2.1 Theory and Practice The Slovenian Industrial Property Act (ZIL-1-UPB3), which Computer-implemented inventions are defined as inventions the determines the types of industrial property rights and the performance of which involves the use of a computer, computer procedures for granting and registering these rights, the legal network or other programmable apparatus, the invention having protection of rights, and the representation of parties, stipulates one or more features that are realised wholly or partly by means in Article 10, which determines the subject matter of patent of a computer program or computer programs [3]. A computer- protection, that “patents shall be granted for any inventions, in implemented invention can cover topics related directly to all fields of technology, which are new, involve an inventive information and communications technology (ICT), e.g. step and are susceptible of industrial application” [8] . Article compiling back-ups or data compression, or it can be indirectly 11, which determines exceptions to patent protection, stipulates that (1) “ related to ICT and only used to control other appliances or Discoveries, scientific theories, mathematical devices [9]. Although programs for computers are as such methods, and other rules, schemes, methods and processes for explicitly excluded from patentability (at least at the European performing mental acts as such shall not be considered Patent Office (EPO)), a product or a method that is of a inventions within the meaning of Article 10, and that (2) A technical nature, i.e. it produces a further (technical) effect patent shall not be granted for: (a) inventions, the exploitation beyond the normal functional interaction of a program and of which would be contrary to public order or morality; (b) computer, may be patentable, even if the claimed subject matter inventions of surgical or diagnostic methods or methods of defines or at least involves a computer program [9]. treatment practised directly on the living human or animal body, with the exception of inventions relating to products, in The first patent application for a computer-implemented particular substances or compositions for use in any of these invention in Europe was submitted in Great Britain in 1962. methods. [8]. This means the Slovenian Industrial Property Act The application was made by British Petroleum CO. Ltd., and does not deal with computer-implemented inventions. P. V. Slee and P. M. J. Harris. The patent for the invention A computer arranged for the automatic solution of linear Software4 that does not provide a technical contribution can programming problems was granted in 1966 [10]. The therefore be protected only by copyright, whereby ideas cannot computer-implemented invention is described as a computer be copyrighted. The appearance of a command line interface5 or comprising quick-access storage, slow-access storage, and an a graphical user interface6, on the other hand, can be protected arithmetic unit, arranged to automatically solve a linear as a registered design. At the Slovenian Intellectual Property programming problem by means of an iterative algorithm [10]. Office (URSIL) it is possible to get a patent for computer or mobile applications, but only under the condition that a technical contribution is demonstrated. One such example is a patent granted in 2012 for the invention A mobile application and procedure for the processing of environmental information, which solves technical problems in preventing the generation of waste, reducing the amount of generated waste, channelling waste into reuse, appropriate disposal of individual types of waste, reducing environmental pollution and reducing the demand for the production of new raw materials that subsequently pollute the environment as waste [13]. This was the first such patent granted in Slovenia. Another such example, also granted patent protection in 2012, is the invention A system for automatic detection and monitoring of harmful insects, which solves the problem of the time-consuming inspection of insect traps [14]. With the help of cameras in traps it detects and monitors harmful insects [14]. The third such example is the invention A system and method for printing and delivering of publications such as newspapers on-demand, which was Figure 1: Drawing of patent application GB1039141A for granted patent protection in 2019 and is classified as a special the invention A computer arranged for the automatic solution purpose printing device and device combining printing and of linear programming problems other functions [15]. The printing and delivery system consists One example of a computer-implemented invention that is of at least two internet connected units and a mobile application widely used every day and was granted patent protection in Europe is the electronic anti-lock braking system (ABS). In 1969 ITT Teves (Continental) unveiled an electronically 4 Software is a group of computer programmes that constitute a whole supported ABS system as a premium add-on feature of the in combination with hardware in a computer. 5 Mercedes Bens S-class, and in 2004 electronically supported A command line interface is an interface in the form of lines of text ABS systems became standard on all new cars in Europe [11]. that shows a prompt on the screen into which a user enters a command and executes it with the enter button. If the command is Another example of a computer-implemented invention that valid, it is executed. will probably change our everyday in the near future are 6 A graphical user interface displays elements such as icons and other autonomous vehicles. However, in order for autonomous tools. It is an interface between the user and the software. 44 that transmits location data to the printing and delivery device, 3.2 Employment and works made for hire includes account management functionalities, and sends The ZASP stipulates that the employer or person ordering the instructions for printing and billing [15]. work is entitled to all economic rights to a computer program if it is created by an employee in the execution of his duties or by 2.3 Status quo of Legal Framework: EU an author under a contract for a work made for hire. Economic In 2002 the EC issued a proposal for a Directive of the rights and other rights of the author to such a program are European Parliament and of the Council on the patentability of assigned to the employer or person ordering the work, computer-implemented inventions. After a series of heated exclusively and without limitations. In accordance with the debates among MEPs, the European Parliament rejected it in applicable regulations, the employer or person ordering the 2005 [3]. The adoption of this directive would have created a work and the employee (author) may agree otherwise, which single set of rules for the patent protection of computer- has also been confirmed by the Supreme Court of the Republic implemented inventions in the member states. The European of Slovenia in judgement II Ips 552/2003 [20]. In practice, Patent Convention Stipulates in Article 52(2) (c) that programs however, at least regarding computer programs created in the for computers are not regarded as inventions [2]. Recognizing course of an employment relationship, the worker and employer that the European Patent Convention (EPC)7 established a tend not to agree otherwise in the employment contract. The European Patent Organisation (EPO), which is responsible to Directive treats the transfer of economic rights to a created grant European patents. This is carried out by the EPO computer program the same way as the ZASP, but it deals only (supervised by the Administrative Council), which is not an with computer programs created in the framework of an agency or an organ of EU. It is an organ of the EPO, which has employment relationship, it does not regulate computer legal entity and it is an independent inter-governmental programs created under a contract for a work made for hire. organisation8 [16]. The status quo thus remains the same as in There are significant differences between instances when a Slovenia. Software that does not demonstrate a technical “classic” copyrighted work is created in an employment contribution can only be protected by copyright, which does not relationship, and when a computer program is created in an protect ideas. The appearance of a command line or graphical employment relationship. interface can be protected as a registered design, whereas a The ZASP also accounts for instances when an employee patent for computer or mobile applications can be granted if a creates a copyright work that is not a computer program, in the technical contribution is demonstrated. Under EPO rules, in the event of which it stipulates that economic and other rights of event of such, the software must be connected with the the author to this work are exclusively assigned to the employer hardware. for a period of ten years from the completion of the work (unless the parties agree otherwise in a contract). Upon the 3. COPYRIGHT AND COMPUTER expiration of the term, the rights revert to the employee. PROGRAMS IN SLOVENIA AND EU However, the employer can claim a new exclusive assignment of these rights, for adequate remuneration. A worker who 3.1 Copyright creates a computer program in the framework of an employment Computer programs are defined both in Directive 2009/24/EC relationship is therefore in a disadvantaged position compared of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 to workers who create other copyright work in the course of on the legal protection of computer programs (the Directive) their employment. [17] and the Slovenian Copyright and Related Rights Act (the ZASP) [18]. EU member states protect computer programs by Despite the copyright protection in place for computer copyright the same way literary works are protected under the programs, the Directive and the ZASP do not regulate the Bern Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic subject matter exclusively; they allow legal protection under Works [19]. While a computer program is defined by these other branches of law [21]. For computer programs, other legal instruments as a program in any form of expression and is branches include regulations on patent protection, trademarks, considered a written work, software does not enjoy copyright protection of competition, trade secrecy, etc. Due to this non- protection. Due to the requirement that copyright protection exclusivity, and the grey area between copyright and computer- applies to the expression of a computer program in any form, implemented inventions, computer programs are therefore often algorithms and programming languages that involve ideas and protected as trade secrets and as know-how. principles do not enjoy copyright protection. Preparatory design work leading to the development of a computer program is 4. CONCLUSION considered a computer program provided that the nature of the The status quo in the field of computer-implemented preparatory work is such that a computer program can result inventions, which are neither legally defined nor legally from it at a later stage. undefined in Slovenia and the EU, raises many open issues and When a computer program can be patent protected or when it provides opportunities for future work. In Slovenia it would can enjoy copyright protection depends on what kind of make sense to examine at which stage TTOs can problem it resolves. If a computer program resolves a business methodologically and substantively contribute to the problem, it is protected by copyright. In the event it resolves a examination and presentation of computer-implemented technical problem (and meets all other criteria for patent inventions at the level of the national patent office and to the protection) it can be protected with a patent. examination of non-obvious combinations that constitute computer-implemented inventions under the ZIL-1-UPB3. At the level of the EU and Europe as a whole, it is necessary to 7 The EPC is a multinational convention of which 38 member states examine how we may contribute to the creation of a legal basis participate in, including all 28 member states of the EU and other that would ensure uniform patenting of computer-implemented non EU member states [16]. inventions. 8 For the last 50 years, the EU's ambition to create a single, central court for the enforcement of European patents has been frustrated by TTOs are tightly integrated into the work of organisations that the EPO's existence as an autonomous, international organisation produce inventions. First and foremost, we use our know-how outside the EU [16]. to help researchers who create computer programs by verifying 45 what kind of problem their program addresses and how a Moed, U. Scmoch, and M. Thelwall, Eds. Springer Nature quality decision can consequently be made as to the protection Switzerland AG, Switzerland, Cham, 1007–1022. of intellectual property (a copyright or patent). [10] European Patent Office. ESPACENET. Patent Search. All things considered, we believe that TTOs should at a 2020. GB1039141 (A)–1966-08-17. minimum participate in public debates and present practical https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio examples of researchers who develop computer programs at ?CC=GB&NR=1039141&KC=&FT=E&locale=en_EP public organisations, thereby contributing to a constructive [11] Glon, R. 2019. ABS Brakes helped Airlines make more decision-making process on the future of the protection of Money before they helped you stop. Digital Trends. computer programs. However, firstly TTOs have to recognise https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/the-history-of-abs- steps and phases where can TTOs provide methodological and brakes-from-airplanes-to-cars/ practical support in processing and presentation of computer- implemented inventions at national and EU level. [12] Kelly, B. and Chae, Y. 2018. INSIGHT: Autonomous Vehicles in the World of Intellectual Property Rights. 5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Bloomberg Law. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip- The operation is partially co-financed by the European Union law/insight-autonomous-vehicles-in-the-world-of- from the European Regional Development Fund and the intellectual-property-rights Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of [13] Slovenian Intellectual Property Office. 2012. SI 24058 A. Slovenia. The operation is implemented under the Operational A Mobile Application and Procedure for the Processing of Program for the Implementation of European Cohesion Policy environmental Information. http://www3.uil- for the period 2014–2020, priority axis 1 Strengthening sipo.si/PublicationServer/documentpdf.jsp?iDocId=27719 research, technological development and innovation. &iepatch=.pdf [14] Slovenian Intellectual Property Office. 2012. SI 23715 A. 6. REFERENCES A System for automatic Detection and monitoring of [1] Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Public Administration. harmful Insects. http://www3.uil- 2020. Digitalizacija družbe (Digitalisation of Society). sipo.si/PublicationServer/documentpdf.jsp?iDocId=25500 https://www.gov.si/teme/digitalizacija-druzbe/ &iepatch=.pdf [2] European Patent Office. 2007. European Patent [15] Slovenian Intellectual Property Office. 2019. SI 25646 A. 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F. 46 Strategic intellectual property management system for universities and scientific organizations for efficient technology transfer Khvorostyanaya Anna Sergeevna, Ph. D. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia, Moscow Leading Researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies Institute of Mathematical Studies of Complex Systems +79151098661 Khvorostyanayaas@gmail.com researches’ results and being fairly treated. The question of ABSTRACT making the balance between scientists, universities and federal The technology transfer development is a strategic priority in parties is not only to appear within one organization. the economies of many countries. For a successful and efficient Universities and educational organizations are actively engaged technology transfer, a high-quality exchange process between in creating new products, but there is often no systematic work science and industry must be established. In this publication on commercialization - there are questions about attracting author review the specifics of Intellectual Property management industrial partners, setting up accounting for the result of systems in higher education institutions. Universities and intellectual activity and the amount of royalties pay out. scientific organizations should strive not only to create patents with public funds and publish in top-rated journals, but also 2. STRATEGIC INTELLECTUAL work efficiently with industrial partners to increase the commercialization level of their developments. For that PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM purpose, it is necessary to create a specialized structure in the These problems of technology transfer can be solved by university – a technology transfer center – that could manage Strategic Intellectual Property Management System (SIPMS), Strategic Intellectual Property by using specific documents that which helps to build the commercialization stage step by step. form unique ecosystem. Speaking about the strategic priorities of such a system it should be working for the researches, university administration Keywords and industrial partners to make the mutually beneficial cooperation. This approach guarantees all the parties’ interests Technology transfer, strategic intellectual property to be considered and minimizes the risks to lose one’s management, universities and scientific organizations. intellectual property. It can also help to build the researches’ reputation, attract new employees, and, finally, meet the federal 1. INTRODUCTION demand for using the knowledge for the national economy In modern world and Russian practice, the main developers of benefit. innovative technologies and suppliers of developments with the There is a vital experience of such a system in Russia: National potential for commercialization are large universities, research Association of Technology Transfer has a Project Group that centres and laboratories. Universities and research organizes an intellectual property management system in higher organizations are increasingly responding to the needs of the education institutions [7]. The activities of this group are real sector of the economy for innovative developments by related both to the holding of events to popularize and involve making changes to R&D plans. Developing towards a larger- in the work of the vice-rectors of universities responsible for scale participation of universities / research institutes in innovations, as well as a wide range of experts in the field of economic processes, offices and technology transfer centres technology transfer and all interested market participants, and contribute to building communications with other participants to the implementation of a package of standard documents for in research activities and subjects of the real sector of the the IP management in universities and research centres. economy, contribute to improving the quality of fundamental and applied research, and intensify the cooperation and In preparing a set of National Association of Technology integration interaction development. Based on fundamental Transfer model documents, the Intellectual Property Policy for scientific research, the results of the development of these Universities and Research Organizations, adapted by WIPO and institutions, having an applied focus, allow the companies the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, was used. acquiring them to form new strategic competitive advantages Pilot implementation of the IP management system to the based on significant technological superiority [1]. Today, there Lomonosov Moscow State University experience showed that is an aim on global and regional agenda to create the IP management rules in the local regulations should be first environment as well as the ways to make researches’ results consolidated. These regulations can be the Strategy and/or the commercial, to make it possible having an income from the Policy in the field of IP management. MSU version of such a intellectual property. The universities should become the document is the Provision on IP management, which latest reliable providers of the specific intellectual products to meet revision was approved in 2018 [8]. the federal and industrial demand. In many strategies of scientific and technological development of countries, this Speaking of key strategic principles of the efficient functioning aspect is qualitatively reflected – Russia [2], China [3], of the strategic system, implemented to the Lomonosov Germany [4], South Korea [5], USA [6]. It should also be Moscow State University, legal certainty, fair income considered the scientists’ interest for publishing their distribution, and stability could be mentioned. These principles are consolidated in the local regulations. The legal certainty 47 principle implies the right holder to have all the results of development and practical application of the Moscow intellectual activity certificated, all the rights transactions to be University developments in industry. confirmed by entering into a contract and fulfilling its Strategic IP management system implementation helped MSU conditions. get significant results in two important rankings: According to the fair income distribution principle, the - National University Ranking (Innovations unit). There were university pays costs to get and renew the patent, including the 849 scores (8th place) in 2017, 805 scores (5th place) in 2018, international ones. The income of the commercial using the and 774 scores (4th place) in 2019 [15]. intellectual property is shared as following: The authors receive 25%, the faculty – 40%, the university – 35% of the reward. - Invention Activity University Ranking (scores are summed). The amount of payments to the authors can be extended by the There were 57,9 scores (1st place) in 2017, 58,9 scores (1st head of faculty, using the funds which the faculty got in the place) in 2018, and 63,6 scores (1st place) in 2019 [17]. specified order [8]. There are about 900 items in the overall MSU IP portfolio. An important aspect of successful technology transfer on the There are also more than 30 valid license contracts made by part of the authors is associated with the motivational part. [1] MSU. At the same time, the income from RIA rights disposal For example, Higher School of Economics — National multiply.increased. As a result of successful SIPMS Research University pays 30% of net contractual income [9], implementation, the following information can be given: Saint Petersburg State University pays 50% of net contractual income for using intellectual property [10], Ural Federal 11 licenses were issued with fixed payments for the current University [11] named after the First President of Russia B. N. period and royalties for future periods; Yeltsin pays up to 50% of the royalty income. legal support of transactions with industrial partners were The stability principle means that authors should remain undertaken; confidential and report the university about the intellectual 119 notifications on disclosure of intellectual activity results activity result before there will be any information published. were processed; The university recourse usage makes intellectual activity result as the university’s property. Commission on university IP 42 applications for inventions/utility models were submitted to approves the key deal’s conditions, as well as the patenting Rospatent, 2 of them for international protection; geography. Earlier, the IP management process in MSU was 2 applications for industrial designs were submitted; decentralized and implied several departments’ parallel participation. Faculties were responsible for many matters in the 3 applications for University trademarks were submitted; field of IP management (including special legal, patent, 30 computer programs and databases submitted for registration; accounting matters). However, not all the faculties could afford employees from the field needed. That is why there came an received 55 patents for inventions/utility models; idea to reconstruct the IP management system. Moreover, it was necessary to do the rights inventory, analyse the demand for received 37 certificates for computer programs and databases; current intellectual activity result and prospective for the ones received 2 trademark certificates; at the application stage [8]. received 2 patents for breeding achievements [18]. The new IP management system is working in MSU since 2014 when the decision was taken on the pilot system There are also IP commission and Intangible Assets implementation. Russian Federal Service for Intellectual commission in the IP management architecture. The main chain Property (Rospatent) expertly supported the pilot of the system, NATT, is participating at all the stages of life implementation. The system is constantly developing, cycle. At the first stage of the research, the Association considering changing legislation, application practice, and approves the work conditions, announces the RIA creation, special ministries and departments’ recommendations. For forms a document on its legal protection, and participates in example, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russian making a request and applying for a patent. As all the actions Federation developed in 2014 [12] and finalized the mentioned above are made by one department, the amount of Recommendations on results of intellectual activity (RIA) patent applications has raised up to 100 a year. That is 80% management [13]. In 2018, WIPO and the Ministry of Science more that it was in 2014. After the grant of the patent, there is and Higher Education approved the Policy in the field of still commercial work to do. Be that we mean making additional intellectual property for universities and research centres [14]. research, communicating with appraisers, internal and external experts. As well as looking for partners, approving terms of the The main chain of a system implemented in MSU is Centre of deals on RIA rights disposal, and controlling over university Technology Transfer. The main goals of technology transfer and developers treatment [8]. centres are to promote the development of cooperation chains between science and business, attract investment for the In conclusion, it can be noted that MSU has successfully innovative projects implementation and the creation of implemented SIPMS, as evidenced by the results. It should be consortia, commercialize the results of scientific and technical noted that such a system is effective for establishing systemic activities, meet transfer innovative developments to industry interaction between main participants in technology transfer, and the market [16]. Centre of Technology Transfer of helps to set up a system work on commercialization and Lomonosov Moscow State University is a “one-step” facility consolidate innovative offers for industrial partners. The for both internal university work and processing external presence of such system in technology transfer centres helps to suggestions and external demand. It is staffed with employees work systematically even in the face of external challenges. The in the field of intellectual property management (patenting, main SIPMS value is to reduce uncertainty, regulate liability licensing, business development and legal issues) with various and establish a standard business process. The presence of the competencies that allow assistance in the promotion, same template for the industrial partner technological request makes it possible to create an innovative development catalog more effectively. Taking into account the professional 48 competence of each university and its structural organization, [10] Saint Petersburg State University (SPbU). Transitional SIPMS is easy to adapt and change. NATT specialists are provision on the procedure of paying the reward for using currently implementing SIPMS at Sechenov University and results of SPbU intellectual activity. [Electronic resource] D.Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia [8]. // URL: https://spbu.ru/ (date of the request – 17.05.2020). Using this experience, we can talk in the future about the [11] Ural Federal University. Policy in the field of intellectual possibility of scaling it in order to form the maturity of property. [Electronic resource] // URL: universities to introduce their developments into national and http://inno.urfu.ru/admin/ckfi nder/userfi les/fi global industry. les/doc20121120170643.pdf (date of request: 17.05.2020) 3. REFERENCES [12] The Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian [1] Khvorostyanaya A. S., Alimuradov M. K. The Value of Federation formed the recommendations for organizations the Participation of Actors in the Technology Transfer on results of intellectual activity rights disposal, and the Process: a Strategic Vector // Administrative consulting. Government of the Russian Federation approved these 2020. No. 5. P. 128–137. recommendations. [Electronic resource] // URL: http://old.economy.gov.ru/minec/activity/ [2] Presidential Decree No. 642 of 01.12.2016. On the sections/instdev/doc20140210_4 (date of request: Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of 17.05.2020). the Russian Federation. President of the Russian Federation. [Electronic resource] // URL: President of [13] The Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Russia//kremlin.ru/acts/bank/41449 (date of the request – Federation improved the recommendations on RIA rights 17.05.2020). disposal. [Electronic resource] // URL: http://old. economy.gov.ru/minec/about/structure/depIno/201703100 [3] China's Scientific Revolution. Scientific American. 1 (date of request: 17.05.2020). [Electronic resource] // URL: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/chinas- [14] The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the scientific-revolution/ Russian Federation. Policy in the field of intellectual property for universities and research centers. [Electronic [4] Industry 4.0 - Germany's 4th industrial revolution. resource] // URL: Germany Trade and Invest. https://www.gtai.de/gtai- https://minobrnauki.gov.ru/common/upload/library/2018/1 en/meta/press/industry-4-0-germany-s-4th-industrial- 0/Politika_v_oblasti_IS_s_VOIS.pdf (date of request: revolution-78306 17.05.2020). [5] Yi, Sang. (2012). Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific [15] Interfax company. National university ranking. [Electronic Revolutions in South Korea. East Asian Science, resource] // URL: Technology and Society: an International Journal. 6. 533- https://academia.interfax.ru/ru/ratings/?rating=8&year=20 539. 10.1215/18752160-1905942. 19&page=1 (date of request 17.05.2020). [6] Shapin, Steven. (2018). The Scientific Revolution. [16] Khvorostyanaya A.S. (2020). Strategicheskaya rol tsentrov 10.7208/chicago/9780226398488.001.0001. transfera tekhnologii v razvitii kreativnyh industriy ekonomiki [Strategic role of the technology transfer [7] National Association of Technology Transfer. NATT. centers in the development of creative industries of the [Electronic resource] https://rusnatt.ru/napravleniya- economy]. Kreativnaya ekonomika. 14. deyatelnosti/rid/ (date of the request – 17.05.2020). (7).doi:10.18334/ce.14.7.110546 [8] Metlyaev D. Ragozin P. UNIVERSITY IP [17] Invention Activity University Ranking 2017. Expert MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BY EXAMPLE OF analytic center data. [Electronic resource] // URL: MOSCOW STATE UNIVERSITY// Intellectual property. http://www.acexpert.ru/ analytics/ratings/reyting- 2020. No 6. P. 17-22. izobretatelskoy-aktivnosti-vuzov.html (date of request: [9] Higher School of Economics — National Research 17.05.2020). University. Provision on the financial incentive in the field The activities of the Technology Transfer Center. of intellectual property in Higher School of Economics — Technology Transfer Center. [Electronic resource] // National Research University. [Electronic resource] // URL: http://www.ctt.msu.ru (date of request: 21.09.2020). URL: https://www.hse.ru/docs/86975404.html (date of the request – 17.05.2020). 49 Strategic research and innovation partnerships as enablers of technology transfer Maja Bučar Aleš Lipnik Faculty of Social Sciences Institute for economic research Kardeljeva ploščad 5 Kardeljeva ploščad 17 SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Phone: +386 1 5805-195 Phone: +386 1 5303 810 maja.bucar@fdv.uni-lj.si ales.lipnik@ier.si ABSTRACT human and material, with the objective to raise competitiveness Paper address the question of knowledge -transfer activities in and value added in selected sector. the case of two (business and research-led) SRIP. SRIP- One of the tasks of SRIPs, as specified in documentation Strategic research and innovation partnerships is the form of explaining the S4, is exchange of knowledge and experience as collaboration between business sector, public research well as knowledge transfer (SVRK, 2015b). SRIPs should organizations (PROs) and other stakeholders introduced by enable flow of knowledge among the members, from the PROs Slovenian Smart Specialization Strategy. In the paper, we try to to business sector as well as among the business partners find similarities and differences in their positions, perceptions themselves (for example, from large to small and medium size and approaches toward technology transfer, as well as enterprises). They should also enable the transfer of knowledge challenges of this process on the level of SRIP as an instrument among the same stakeholders. and on the level of Slovenian innovation system. The implementation of this expectation of the policy makers, which was spelled out in the public call for the establishment of Keywords SRIPs, is the subject matter of our short paper. SRIPs were Technology transfer, Smart Specialization Strategy of Slovenia, established in the fall of 2017 and their first mid- term SRIP Strateško razvojna inovacijska partnerstva- Strategic evaluation/ monitoring was performed in 2019 (FDV, 2019). development innovation partnership. The monitoring looked at the issues, specified in the public call: 1. INTRODUCTION • Implementation of the objectives in Action plans With adoption of Smart Specialization Strategy of Slovenia • (S4) in the end of 2015 (GODC, 2015a), a new form of Progress in promotion of joint development and services, collaboration between business sector, public research especially in cooperation and development of joint RRI organizations (PROs) and other stakeholders was introduced. initiatives to develop and market higher value-added So-called Strategic research and innovation partnerships integrated products and services; (known as SRIPs, GODC, 2015b) were established in all nine • Introduction of horizontal enabling technologies within priority areas of S4, following a public call, issued by the vertical value-added chains Ministry of Economic Development and Technology in December 2016 (MEDT, 2016). • Implemented market manifestations, resulting from joint activities. The 3 priority pillars of the Smart Specialisation (a) Digital, b) Circular and c. (S)Industry 4.0 have nine areas of application: Mid-term monitoring of the SRIPs resulted in the report to the funders, where the successes as well as some of the problems in (i.) Smart cities and communities; functioning of the SRIPs were identified. The main conclusion (ii.) Smart buildings and homes, including wood chain; of the monitoring phase was that the SRIPs are a good (iii.) Networks for transition into circular economy; instrument to support RIS3 implementation and that most of (iv.) Sustainable food production; them have achieved an impressive level of cooperation among (v.) Sustainable tourism; their members from different spheres (large and small (vi.) Factories of the future; companies, public research institutions and in some cases, also (vii.) Health-medicine; communities/ municipalities). (viii.) Mobility; (ix.) Development of materials as products. Since transfer of knowledge was not considered the primary task in the initial phase of working of SRIPs, the mid-term The idea of the policy makers was to support the formation of a monitoring had not focused on this issue. Still, we believe it is platform, similar to clusters, in each of the priority areas, based important to examine how they approach this topic, if at all. To as a long-term public –private partnership. The members of learn more about the position of SRIPs with regard to SRIPs are to identify value chains within selected priorities technology transfer, we designed a small questionnaire for two (deepen the relatively general priorities) through providing fora very different SRIPs: one is primarily business- dominated and for continuous entrepreneurial discovery process (EDP). SRIPs the other with more pronounced impact of the public research should provide an environment for cooperation in joint R&D organizations. Their views on the role of SRIPs as agents for projects of various type and enable innovation activity technology transfer are presented in the next segment. eventually leading to market penetration in S4 priority areas. The objective is to focus and coordinate both private and public investment in R&D and innovation, share capacities, both 50 2. INDUSTRY-LED SRIP AND condition for cooperation between PRO and business entities in such projects, explained by the fact that the business partners TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER contribute most of the co-financing. So far, research-led SRIP First, we wished to learn if the SRIP coordination office deals had no case of direct technology transfer, where the with the questions, relating to technology transfer, especially in coordinating office would be directly involved. view of relatively limited human resources. The answer revealed that the technology issues are mostly addressed at the As technology transfer is not recognized as a crucial level of Council of Experts, where new developments in their topic/activity of the SRIP, SRIP coordination office does not priority field are discussed, especially in the areas of interest to detect special needs or requests from the side of SRIP members. their members. The office itself has no capability to assist in the Therefore, activities of SRIP coordination office are oriented actual technology transfer deals; they do however monitor mainly toward awareness raising and trainings of members technology developments at global level and pass relevant through special events and thematic workshops. Research-led information to the members. They see their role mostly in SRIP coordination office sees the opportunity for a more active establishment of initial contacts between different members, role of SRIP in the technology transfer only if the main where the office identifies potential for cooperation. Beyond stakeholders would request such service, as SRIP itself at the this phase, they currently do not act. moment has no planned resources for technology transfer. The issue of transfer of technology is in the opinion of the Research-led SRIP coordination office also detects some office an important one for their members, but the SRIP can obstacles, which prevent transfer of knowledge and technology. only help in raising the awareness and the promotion of the In the first place, they point to a relatively complicated and long protection of intellectual property rights, sharing information on lasting procedures for knowledge transfer, which demand cases of successful transfer of knowledge to the market, but not specific and high professional knowledge in different areas. with the actual process of transfer. Secondly, as procedures are mainly focused on financial part of transfer (i.e. licenses or patents costs), this is not found as Explicitly, the members have not requested services or highly stimulating, especially for Spin-out companies. Third: assistance with transfer of knowledge. They do take part in the legally very complicated procedures for knowledge transfer in events, organized by the Office, where experience and most PRO, especially universities, requiring a long list of knowledge on the topic of various members is presented. The approvals, discourages the process. The SRIP sees solution in Office has also organized a set of workshops with one of the changing the current, very restrictive legislation. In order to leading Slovenian expert on intellectual property rights simplify and standardize these procedures, SRIP suggests protection. The workshops had sufficient attendance, but not preparing Toolbox for SME members in order to help and exceptional, suggesting that the topic is not the most support them in such procedures. problematic in their industry. The Office of SRIP sees itself primarily as an intermediary: 4. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION their role is to monitor the trends in global industry, be well With both types of SRIPs, we can find some similarities and informed of the development plans and needs of their members common issues: to the first question on the engagement of the and act as a matchmaker for the exchange of ideas and SRIP coordination offices in transfer of technology, both formation of joint R&D projects. Up to now, they have not pointed out the lack of human resources with specific identified specific barriers to transfer of knowledge or knowledge and competencies in the field of technology transfer. technology. They do, however, observe inactivity among PROs, This is the main reason why they cannot play the role of especially research institutes in searching the contacts with technology broker. However, this issue does not seem to industry. Here, researchers from the universities, especially represent significant problem as this role is also not expected younger ones, are more eager to cooperate with business. On from their members. From the side of SRIP members, the role the other hand, the research institutes wait to be approached by of SRIP office is not seen in the field of TTO. the industry and, often reluctantly, respond. Secondly, policy maker, at the time of establishing SRIPs, listed a long range of tasks for the SRIP offices, obviously with the 3. RESEARCH-LED SRIP AND expectations that the SRIP member will be prepared to finance TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER all these tasks. Common rule of 50% public co-financing of the The same set of questions as for industry- led SRIP, were SRIP office activities does not allow them to strengthen the directed to research-led SRIP. Regarding the question, related technology transfer activities. On the other side, there is no to technology transfer, we received an answer that coordinating specific need expressed by the members for SRIP offices to office of SRIP is not dealing with knowledge transfer activities. enter the field of technology transfer, which requires a very They don’t have sufficient human and financial resources for specific and high professional knowledge. Often, this this sort of services. However, PRO hosting the research-led knowledge and resources already exists at the PRO and SRIP has its own Technology transfer office (TTO), providing universities in the form of existing Technology transfer offices. the services connected with knowledge transfer for their Most business enterprises, with experience in joint R&D researchers. Yet, these services are available only for the PRO projects, have their in-house capabilities to address the issues of researchers and their customers. intellectual property rights. The question arises as to what is the situation in SMEs and whether in the case of their more active From the side of research-led SRIP members, technology involvement in joint projects they would benefit from the transfer is currently not recognized as a very important topic. assistance of the coordination office of SRIP. Here, we see the Currently main cooperation form between SRIP business opportunity for strengthening technology transfer service from members and research organization are joint R&D projects, the side of SRIP members, coming from the public research where intellectual property rights (foreground, background and community. They should invest more energy into informing side-ground) are agreed in advance and they are part of SRIP business partners regarding their own R&D work and cooperation agreement signed before the project starts. In these potentials, of course if they are motivated to more actively projects, in most cases, industrial property rights become transfer their knowledge and technologies. Also, the services in property of business partners. This is often the standard 51 the area of technology transfer, which were developed with [3] Bučar M, Jaklič A and Gonzalez Verdesoto, E, RIO public money within PROs, could be offered to SMEs as well. Country Report 2017: Slovenia, EUR 29163 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, As we see, the issues identified in the previous studies (Bučar 2018, ISBN 978-92-79-81226-2, doi:10.2760/684842, and Rojec, 2019) on knowledge/ technology transfer have not JRC111274. been addressed by SRIPs either. These issues are actually long- term challenge for Slovenian innovation system, which cannot [4] GODC Government Office of development and Cohesion be solved by one, single, time-limited action. The issue requires Policy- Služba Vlade Republike Slovenije za razvoj in several systemic changes in different areas, from bridging the evropsko kohezijsko politiko. 2015a. Slovenian Strategy gap in understanding the objectives of R&D for PRO and those of Smart Specialisation. Slovenska Strategija Pametne of business entities. One of the solutions is a permanent long- Specializacije S4. https://www.gov.si/assets/vladne- term, sufficient and clear support of the government to the sluzbe/SVRK/S4-Slovenska-strategija-pametne- instruments like SRIP and TTO’s. specializacije/Slovenska-strategija-pametne- specializacije.pdf 5. REFERENCES [5] GODC Government Office of development and Cohesion [1] Bučar et al. 2019. Vmesno spremljanje in vrednotenje Policy- Služba Vlade Republike Slovenije za razvoj in delovanja SRIP- ov v obdobju 2017-2019. FDV, IER, UP evropsko kohezijsko politiko. 2015b. Strateška razvojna FM. https://www.fdv.uni- inovacijska partnerstva (Strategic development innovation lj.si/obremenitve/projektdokument.aspx?idp=251&id=167 partnerships). https://www.gov.si/assets/vladne- sluzbe/SVRK/S4-Slovenska-strategija-pametne- [2] Bučar, M. and Rojec, M. 2019. Determinants of Success specializacije/Podporni-dokumenti.pdf in Science – Industry Cooperation: Case of Slovenia; University-Industry Engagement Conference, Sydney. 52 The awareness on environmental protection issues as reflected through the inventions Levin Pal Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation Jožef Stefan Institute Jamova cesta 39 00 386 1 477 3303 levin.pal@ijs.si ABSTRACT from which further attempts are made to recover metals using The present study aimed to get the insight into specific "state of the art" methods in smelters and refineries. In environmental issues associated with key enabling technologies underdeveloped countries, equipment disassembly and and to identify the environmental protection related niche areas separation of materials is manual, and the recovery of metals is of the highest potential for growth to which the future made by heating, burning, and acid leaching of e-waste scrap in technology transfer activities should focus on. Analyses of small workshops causing additional damage to environment [2]. environmental related inventions in terms of absolute numbers Many batteries still contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and their shares within the technology fields of electronics, cadmium, and nickel, which can contaminate the environment materials, biotechnology and power sources were based on the and pose a potential threat to human health. Batteries represent annual data for the last decade. The shares of environmentally a complete waste of a potential and cheap raw material, when oriented inventions at the fields of electronics, materials, improperly disposed. In addition, battery recycling is not biotechnology and fusion power over the last decade remained feasible from economic point of view. However, as low as 1%, 5%, 9% and 2%, respectively, indicating low nanotechnologies could provide more economical battery market demand for environmental applications. On the contrary recycling in the future [3]. the shares of inventions related to green power sources increased from 54% to 60% over the last decade, most probably Nanotechnologies are also used in radioactive waste clean-up in due to intragovernmental actions on reduction of carbon water, direct seawater desalination and disinfection by using dioxide emissions that took place over the last decades. Similar nanochannels and nanopores, oil and water separation, actions should be implemented promptly in order to support the detection of pollutants, carbon dioxide fixation, artificial innovativeness and technology transfer related to management photosynthesis, photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants of electronic and material waste in the following decades. in waste waters, superhydrophobic and intelligent construction materials etc. [3]. Keywords In biotechnology, biological treatment plants are well known Technology transfer, environmental protection, key enabling for removal of organic impurities in solid, liquid and gaseous technologies, electronic waste, recycling, recovery, metals, rare form and removal of heavy metals from waste materials. An earths, batteries, fossil fuel, fusion, nuclear, green power important application of environmental biotechnology are also generation. biosensors enabling biomonitoring, including monitoring of biodegradability, toxicity, mutagenicity, concentration of 1. INTRODUCTION hazardous substances, and monitoring of concentration and pathogenicity of microorganisms in wastes and in the Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) – a group of six environment [4]. technologies: micro and nanoelectronics, nanotechnology, industrial biotechnology, advanced materials, photonics, and Photonics have enormous potential of reducing the greenhouse advanced manufacturing technologies – increase industrial and non-greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the electricity innovation to address societal challenges and creating advanced consumption from traditional energy sources [5]. Photonics and sustainable economies [1]. In addition to having the highest have already significantly contributed to climate protection by potential for growth at the global markets the KETs have applications such as energy saving light bulbs and LED several applications related to the environmental protection, but lighting, photovoltaics and communication via fibre optic there are also certain environmental issues associated with networks. Other environment protection related applications of KETs at various fields. photonics are at the moment in the beginning of their growth trajectory and include early detection of forest fires, laser- Information technology is important for the growth of any supported metal recycling and optical communication in 5G country, but with the sudden development of new TV sets, mobile networks [5]. smartphones, computers and their relatively short lifespan, the accumulation of waste electronics is increasing. Waste electrical In best case scenario, the introduction of automation will have a and electronic equipment contains toxic substances that may positive impact on the environment: greenhouse and non- leach into the ground and emissions that may escape into the air greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced as well as the use of when disposed. Direct environmental impacts are the release of natural resources. However, automation will lead to increased acids, toxic substances and heavy metals and carcinogenic electricity consumption, so the impact of increased automation chemicals [2]. on the environment depends primarily on how society will cope with the replacement of "dirty" energy sources. In worst case In developed countries, formal sectors for e-waste management scenario, automation at the expense of increased electricity are being established, which take care of manual disassembly consumption would lead to increased greenhouse and toxic gas followed by semi-automated separation of various materials 53 emissions and increased consumption of natural resources, Various combinations of keywords referring to metals, rare increased consumption of rare materials for building electronic earths and batteries were selected rather than those referring to equipment and increased electronic waste [6]. advanced production and photonics. According to the literature the natural resources such as metals and rare earth elements and In addition to the growing need for recycling, recovery and magnets are often a limiting factor of advanced production, regeneration due to lack of natural resources there is also a electronics and photonics sectors. For the purpose of this study growing need associated with the electric power generation [7]. batteries were classified among the materials although in reality In particular, the source of electricity will determine the extent the field of batteries is rather interdisciplinary representing the of damage that power generation will cause to the environment. intersection between electronics, materials, chemistry, advanced Primary energy sources such as crude oils, coal and natural gas production, photonics and energy conservation. exhibit the highest amounts of greenhouse and toxic gases and should be reduced on behalf of the increased use of nuclear [8] Fusion as the potential new power source and traditional power and presumably fusion [9], hydro power and especially green sources such as nuclear and fossil fuel were compared to green power sources such as geothermal, wind, solar and bio energy power sources such as hydro, wind, solar, geothermal and [7]. bioenergy. Environmental protection related inventions will benefit the The analyses was performed using PatBase [10] in August society and benefiting the society should be the main and only 2020. The exact keywords and combinations with basic morally acceptable focus of public as well as private entities. Boolean operators and symbols are listed under the PatBase queries in Table 1. The PatBase search was set to search within In this study, we examined the emergence of patent documents titles, abstracts and claims (TAC) which are usually available in related to environmental protection at the fields of electronics, English language after publication by majority of national materials, biotechnology and power sources. We hypothesized: patent offices. Priority date (PRD) field was set to search within (i) that environmental applications should account for about a certain year. In Table 1 the PRD was set to year 2018 for all half of all innovations now days; (ii) that the share the queries and the results were further analysed by PatBase environmental applications had grown sharply over the past analyticsv2 providing the numbers of filed, granted and decade. published patent families, top five assignees and top five The aim of this study was to search for the guidelines for future jurisdictions. Ten separate searches for data on the number of technology transfer based on the occurrence of environmental patent families without further analysis with PatBase Analytics related inventions at the mentioned main fields of technologies v2 were performed for each of the priority years from 2008 to and identifying the environmental protection related niche areas 2018 and graphically presented on Figure 1 and Figure 2. The of the highest potential for growth to which the future calculations in Table 2 are based on the same dataset as Figures technology transfer activities should focus on. 1 and 2. Tables and Figures were prepared by Microsoft Excell software. Whenever average values were calculated the 2. METHODOLOGY corresponding standard deviations are presented next to the average values (e.g. average value ± standard deviation). The results of this study are based on comparison of the occurrence of patent documents between the general key There were 651.578 patent families for the query enabling technology (KET) areas and its sub-areas related to “TAC=(*material* and PRD=2018:2018)”. PatBase analyticsv2 environmental protection applications (e.g. area of “electronics” is capable of analysing up to 250.000 patent families at once. In compared to its subarea “electronic waste”) within the priority order to maintain the comparability of results and for the period from 2008 until 2018. Since the content of patent reasons described in the previous paragraphs of this section, applications is normally confidential for the first 18 months only the areas of metals, rare earths and batteries and their after the priority date, the priority period 2008-2018 is quite corresponding environmental protection related subareas were well reflecting the known prior art of the last decade (June/July included into the analysis. 2010 to June/July 2020). This paper was written in August 2020. 3. RESULTS Keywords denoting different areas and subareas within KETs The patent families (Table 1 and 2, Figures 1 and 2) having were selected based on the known literature considering the priority filing dates in 2018 were published in summer 2020 widest possible coverage of technology fields: The keyword and therefore represent the latest known prior art in the time (*electronic*) was selected to cover electronics, micro- and this paper was written. Approximately half of the patent nano-electronics; the keyword (*material*) was selected to families filed in 2018 were granted by at least one jurisdiction cover materials and advanced materials as well as micro- and and each of them was published by approximately five different nano- materials and consequently a certain range of jurisdictions. The term “invention(s)” will be used in the nanotechnologies; the keyword (*bio*) was used to cover following text referring to the filed, granted and published biotechnology. patent families at the fields of Electronics, Materials / Chemistry, Biotechnology and Power Sources. 54 Table 1: Number of filed, granted and published inventions (patent families) and top five assignees and jurisdictions based on the specific PatBase queries denoting wide areas (white background) and environment protection related sub-areas (shadowed background) within the technology fields.* Patent Patent Technology Areas and PatBase Patent Top five families families Top five assignees Fields Sub-Areas query families filed jurisdiction granted published Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd China P. Rep. GuangDong Oppo Mobile USPTO TAC=(*electronic*) Electronics 174.737 88.457 577.376 Lenovo Group Ltd WIPO and PRD=2018:2018 Qualcomm Inc Japan Apple Inc. EPO Electronics Ford global technologies China P. Rep. TAC=(*electronic* Alibaba Group holding Ltd. WIPO Electronic AND *waste*) and 2.332 1.170 12.229 Beijing Qihoo Tech Co. Ltd USPTO waste PRD=2018:2018 Netease Hangzhou Networl Co. Ltd EPO Univ. Shanghai 2ND Polytechnic Japan Taiwan Semiconductor MFG Co. Ltd China P. Rep. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd USPTO TAC=(*metal*) and Metal 218.502 108.249 757.025 Intel Corp; WIPO PRD=2018:2018 LG Chemical Ltd. Japan BOE Technology Group Co. Ltd EPO Exxon Mobil Corp. China P. Rep. TAC=(*metal* AND Univ. Kunming Science and Tech WIPO Metal (recover* OR recycl*)) 9.587 4.285 54.242 Univ. Central South USPTO recycling and PRD=2018:2018 UOP LLC EPO BASF SE Japan LG Chemical China P. Rep. Ningde Contem… USPTO TAC=(batter*) and Battery 145.739 82.062 331.599 Sonoef Hefei Tech WIPO PRD=2018:2018 Hefei Guoxuan Japan Bosch Gmbh South Korea Materials Toshiba KK China P. Rep., TAC=(batter* and Bosch Gmbh USPTO Battery (recycl* or 2.484 1.087 9.221 Toyota Jidosha KK WIPO regenerat*)) and recycling PRD=2018:2018 Honda Motor Co. Ltd Japan Toyota Motor Corp. EPO TDK Corp. China P. Rep. TAC=(rare AND Nichia Corp USPTO earth* AND (magnet* Rare Earths 2.971 985 13.769 Hitachi Metals WIPO OR element*)) and PRD=2018:2018 China Petroleum Japan Univ Jiangxi Scientific EPO Sabic Global Technologies BV China P. Rep. TAC=(rare AND earth* AND (magnet* Exxon Mobil Corp. WIPO Rare Earths OR element*) AND 164 60 1.223 Univ Jiangxi SCI and Technology USPTO recovery recover*) and Inner Mongolia Jarud Banner Luan EPO PRD=2018:2018 Commissariat A Lenergie Atomique Canada IBM China P. Rep. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd WIPO TAC=(bio*) and Biotechnology 99.862 37.244 497.744 Univ. California USPTO PRD=2018:2018 Univ. Jiangnan EPO Univ. South China Tech. Japan Biotechnology TAC=(biotreat* OR Univ. Jinan China P. Rep. Biodegrad* OR Univ. Tianjin WIPO Bio waste bioaugment* OR 7.208 2.566 42.793 Univ. California USPTO treatment biosens* OR Univ. South China Tech. EPO biomonitor*) and PRD=2018:2018 Univ. Zhejiang South Korea Tokyo Electron Ltd. China P. Rep. TAC=(power AND Applied Materials Inc. USPTO (crude* OR coal OR Fossil Fuel 27.824 15.535 110.970 Toyota Jidosha KK WIPO gas OR fossil)) and PRD=2018:2018 United Technologes Ltd. EPO Huaneng Clean Energy RES Inst. Japan China General Nuclear Power China P. Rep. TAC=(nuclear AND China General Nuclear Power ENG WIPO Nuclear power) and 3.214 1.739 11.245 Cnnc Nuclear Power MAN Co. Ltd. USPTO PRD=2018:2018 Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corp. South Korea Power China Nuclear Power Design Co. Ltd. Japan sources State Grid Corp. China China P. Rep. TAC=(fusion AND Hewlett Packard Development Co. WIPO Fusion power) and 1.512 708 17.226 Siemens AG USPTO PRD=2018:2018 Saint Gobain SA EPO Corning Inc. Japan State Grid Corp. China China P. Rep. TAC=(power AND (hydro* OR wind OR Beijing Hanergy Photovoltaic Invest WIPO Green solar OR geothermal 48.465 27.245 167.115 Beijing Boyang Dingrong PV Tech USPTO OR bio*)) and Beijing Goldwind Science and EPO PRD=2018:2018 Hanergy Mobile Energy Holding Japan * PatBase queries were based on the keywords to be searched in titles, abstracts and claims (TAC) across the patents and patent applications having priority date in 2018 (PRD=2018:2018). Analyses were performed using PatBase in August 2020. Priority patent applications are published after 18 months from the priority date. The represented data therefore reflects the present known state of the art. There is a correlation between number of filed, granted and Table 2 and Figures 1 and 2 are based on the filed patent family published patent families within the categories of Table 1. data. Average ratio of number of granted and filed patent families The queries referring to technology field of Materials have was 0,46 ± 0,08 and the average ratio of number of published jointly contributed the highest number of inventions filed in and filed patent families was 5 ± 2. The results in the following 2018 followed by the fields of Electronics, Biotechnology and 55 Power. The situation is different when comparing (a) Patent families - general environmental protection subareas within the general technology fields. The highest number of environmental related 250000 s inventions is the subarea Green followed by Metal recycling, 200000 Bio waste treatment, Battery recycling, Electronic Waste and amilief t Electronics Rare Earths recovery subareas representing the descending 150000 ent order of Power, Materials, Biotechnology and Electronics fields a Metal p 100000 in terms of the number of inventions (Table 1). A similar order of Battery in the number of inventions by field has been observed over the er 50000 Rare earths past decade (Figures 1 and 2) with the exception in the field of mbu Biotechnology Batteries and Biotechnology. In 2008 fewer Battery related N 0 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 priority patent applications were filed as compared to Year of priority Biotechnology, but from 2015 onwards the field of Batteries exceeded the field of Biotechnology by the number of inventions due to presumed exponential growth (R2 = 0,98) of b) Patent families - related to environment Battery related inventions (Figure 1). However, in general the protection number of inventions within all areas has been growing over the priority years 2008 – 2018 (Figures 1 and 2, Table 2). 10000 s Moreover, the number of inventions in general areas of 8000 technology as well as the number environmental related amilief Electronic waste t 6000 inventions were growing proportionally resulting in similar ent Metal recycling proportions of environmental related inventions within the a 4000 p Battery recycling general areas in 2008 and 2018 (Table 2). of 2000 er Rare earths recovery The proportion of environmental related inventions within the 0 mb Bio waste treatment u general fields of Electronics, Materials and Biotechnology was 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 N low, ranging from 1% up to 10%, throughout the whole priority Year of priority filing period 2008-2018. The said proportions have slightly increased over time except the proportions of Bio waste Figure 1: Number of inventions (patent families) with treatment related inventions, which dropped from 10% to 7% priority dates ranging from 2008 to 2018 referring to: (a) from 2008 to 2018, respectively. On the contrary, the general areas of Electronics, Materials - including metal, proportion of Green Power within the field of different Power rare earths and batteries - and Biotechnology; (b) sources was higher than 50% in 2008 and increased to 60% in environment protection related sub-areas of electronic 2018 (Table 2, Figure 2). waste, recycling or regeneration of materials - metal, rare Top five assignees are presented for each of the areas listed in earths and batteries - and bio waste treatment.* Table 1. Some of them are active in more than one area at the same time: Samsung Electronics in areas of Electronics, Metals Power sources: Patent families over years and Biotechnology; LG Chemical in areas of Metals and Rare 90000 Earths; Exxon Mobil Corp. and Univ. Jiangxi Scientific in area s 80000 ie of Rare Earths and Rare Earth recovery; Toyota Jidosha KK in il 70000 am area of Battery recycling and Fossil fuels; University of f 60000 t n California in Biotechnology and Bio waste treatment and State e 50000 Fusion at Grid Corp. China in areas of Fusion and Green Power Sources. p 40000 f Nuclear r o The top assignees listed under the general areas usually differ 30000 e Fossil fuel b from the ones listed under the environmental protection related 20000 mu Green N 10000 subareas (Table 1). 0 In general, based on the number of published inventions the top 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 five jurisdictions were China, America, Europe and Japan Priority appearing in descending order. South Korea is classified among top five jurisdictions in the areas of Batteries and Bio waste Figure 2: Number of inventions (patent families) with treatment and Nuclear Power sources displacing European, priority dates ranging from 2008 to 2018 referring to Japan and European jurisdictions from the top five jurisdictions different power sources: fusion; nuclear; fossil fuel at the said areas, respectively. Canada displaced Japan among including crude oil, coal and gas; and green including hydro, the top five jurisdictions at the field of Rare Earths recovery. wind, solar, geothermal and bioenergy sources. *Analyses were performed in August 2020 using PatBase [10] and PatBase queries listed in Table 1. 56 Table 2: Absolute numbers of general and environmental related inventions (patent families) filed in 2008, 2018 [Nr.] and the proportions [%] of environmental related inventions (patent families) filed in 2008 and 2018 and the 10-year average (Avrg) proportion with corresponding standard deviation (stdev).* Number and percentage of environmental related patent families in priority years Environmental related General 2008 2018 2008-2018 subareas areas [Nr.] [% ] [Nr.] [% ] Avrg Stdev Eletronic waste : Electronics = 928 : 81266 = 1,1% 2332 : 174737 = 1,3% 1,2% ± 0,1% Metal recycling : Metal = 5284 : 132352 = 4,0% 9587 : 218502 = 4,4% 4,1% ± 0,1% Battery recycling : Battery = 776 : 35109 = 2,2% 2484 : 145739 = 1,7% 1,8% ± 0,2% Rare Earths recovery : Rare Earths = 88 : 2123 = 4,1% 164 : 2971 = 5,5% 5,0% ± 1,0% Bio waste treatment : Biotechnology = 4850 : 49774 = 9,7% 7208 : 99862 = 7,2% 8,6% ± 0,9% Green Power : Power = 19023 : 35513 = 54% 48465 : 81015 = 60% 58% ± 2% *data on the number of patent families for individual filing years 2008-2018 are represented at the Figures 1 and 2. The PatBase queries referring to the keywords shown in Table 1 were combined with the priority dates (PRDs) ranging from 2008 to 2018 reflecting the known prior art from 2010 to 2020. Toshiba, Panasonic and Sharp funded an Electronic 4. DISCUSSION Manufacturers Recycling Management Company (MRM) in The results indicate that the shares of environmental 2007 and Toshiba as the top assignee in the field of batteries is applications account for less than 10% of all innovations in the also a partner of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling fields of electronics, materials and biotechnology now days and Corporation (RBRC) under the national U.S. Call2RecycleTM there was no sharp growth of the shares of environmental program dedicated to recycling of batteries [12]. applications observed over the past decade in these fields (Table 2 and Figure 1), which is not consistent with any of our Surprisingly, two large IT corporations Samsung and IBM introductory hypotheses. On the other hand, in the field of appeared in the general area of Biotechnology, most probably power sources the environmental applications account for more due to their activities in healthcare and life sciences, such as than half of all inventions, while their share grew from 54% to computational biology [13] and pharmaceuticals [14]. 60% over the past decade, which is consistent with the However, the Bio waste treatment subarea was dominated by hypotheses. universities. Universities of California and South China appeared among top five assignees in both, general A possible explanation for extremely low share (approximately Biotechnology area and Bio waste treatment subarea as well. In 1%) of inventions in the field of "electronic waste" within the addition to the absence of large corporations at the subarea of wider field of "electronics" could be due to inappropriate “Bio waste treatment”, the average proportion of “Bio waste methodological approach - choosing too secular keyword for treatment” related inventions has decreased from 10% to 7% the analysis (as explained latter this was not the case). over the last decade. Electronic waste is indeed a mix of different materials and its recycling is therefore closely linked to the recycling of various Technology transfer in the field of environmental solutions is materials including metals, rare earths and batteries [2]. often unsuccessful because, as evidenced by the low Interestingly, Samsung Electronics did not only appear among proportions of environmental inventions in this study, market the top five assignees in the field of its core business interest in environmental technologies is low. As a result, a (electronics), but also in the field of metals, which is not negative feedback loop arises: (i) Environmental solutions are surprising, since Samsung is investing in the development of not a priority to companies, since they present financial loss metals (e.g. semiconductors), which are an integral part of rather than profit to them. For example, the introduction of electronic devices they are producing [11]. recycling of products in parallel with the production would drastically affect the price of products and consequently the However, the proportions of inventions related to recycling, competitiveness; (ii) Public research organizations, which are recovery and regeneration of metals, rare earths and batteries supposed to be a driver of innovation and the well-being of were low as well, amounting approximately 4%, 5% and 2%, society are trying desperately with the commercialization, but respectively. And the top five assignees in the general areas of they sooner or later stop with patenting of environmental electronics, metals, rare earths and batteries were mostly solutions due to the low probability that these technologies will different to those associated to the subareas related to recycling, be licensed out to companies. Therefore, it would be illusory to regeneration and recovery of these products. expect that the corporations mentioned in this study - in other words the largest producers of waste and pollution - will begin With electrification of transport and growing demand for to change their attitude towards the environment on their own natural resources, the need for batteries and battery recycling is [15]. growing sharply, which explains the presumed exponential growth in terms of the number of inventions in this area. It is As mentioned in the introduction, photovoltaics and other not surprising that representatives of automotive industry and/or photonic applications will contribute to reduced electricity auto parts suppliers Toyota, Honda and Bosch are among the consumption and consequently lower greenhouse gas emission top five assignees in the subarea of battery recycling. It seems [5]. On the other hand, advanced production will increase the that national programs need to become involved to support the consumption of electricity and presumably increase the recycling of products, otherwise these activities would not be greenhouse gas emission [6]. Switch to green power sources is economically feasible for large corporations. For example, therefore extremely important [7]. However, it is necessary to 57 understand that the power generation from green sources is less Technology transfer within the innovation ecosystem is a part reliable due to low capacity potential and dependency of of the solution, but unfortunately it works well in case of clear momentary environmental parameters. Therefore, complete demand for breakthrough technologies at the market. In the transition to green sources is most probably not possible and field of alternative energy sources, intergovernmental the need for reliable power sources, such as fossil fuels and agreements have emerged over the decades, creating such a nuclear power will remain [8]. demand for technologies enabling the exploitation of alternative power sources. This can be observed by the high number and Fusion power will be able to replace environmentally harmful shares of inventions in the field of green power sources. energy production with fossil fuels in the future, if successful [9], but decades will pass by then. This is also evident from the However, the need in the market has yet to be created for number of inventions related to fossil and nuclear power technologies dealing with recycling of waste electronics and sources, wherein a number of inventions related to less waste materials. And it is illusory to expect that this demand environmentally friendly fossil fuel was approximately nine will arise on its own without adequate political support to put times higher as compared to cleaner nuclear and fusion power pressure on manufacturers globally. The task of the innovation sources. However, the major concept of the vast majority of ecosystem stakeholders is therefore to properly present these fossil fuel inventions was related to carbon dioxide according to problems to the interested public, through which the pressure to PatBase Analyticsv2 [10], indicating that research and the policy makers will be exerted. In fact, it would be great, if development in this area is mainly concerned with optimizing the solution in the field of electronic waste and waste materials fuel use towards lower carbon dioxide emissions, which is management would be even more efficient and implemented admirable. faster than in few decades. Even more favorable trends were observed in the field of green power at which the share of inventions was high and has grown 5. CONCLUSIONS from about 54% to 60% in the last decade. These data are Although the number of inventions has generally increased over encouraging in terms of reducing the global warming, the past decade, the share of environmentally oriented environmental pollution and health hazard originating from inventions has not changed at the fields of electronics, materials “dirty” power sources, which gives optimistic forecast for the and biotechnology, and has remained on average as low as 1%, future. 5% and 9%, respectively. A kind of “push” obviously exists at the energetics sector that Large corporations leading at the areas of electronics, materials forces states, governments and consequently all kinds of private and biotechnology are not as innovative and active at the and public entities including the players of innovation subareas related to the recycling of their own products, ecosystem to deal with environmental issues. This might be not therefore they should refocus and invest into the environmental only due to a lack of natural resources, but also due to clear protection. In order to do so, legal basis, programs and rules at international and intergovernmental level, which oblige incentives for non-profit recycling at national, international and countries to respect the environment globally. The 1997 Kyoto global levels are beneficial. Protocol, which has been in force since 2005 and replaced by On the contrary, the situation is more optimistic in the field of the Paris Agreement in 2015 [16] seems to play a key role electric power generation, wherein the share of inventions encouraging innovation towards the use of green energy sources related to green power sources grew from 54% to 60% in the by reducing the carbon dioxide emission [7]. last decade suggesting that technology transfer works well in Despite the fact that some countries do not respect the Kyoto case of clear demand at the market. In the field of alternative Protocol and later Paris Agreement, it still is a good practice as energy sources, intergovernmental agreements have emerged it has - by insisting on solving climate problems at the over the decades, creating such a demand for technologies international and intergovernmental level - created markets for related to exploitation of green power sources. green power sources around the world. Even China for The players of innovation ecosystem should therefore convince example, which has often been declared a non-Kyoto country, and support the interested public to exert the pressure to the is active producer of the equipment related to exploitation of policy makers in order to create a market demand for the green power sources – most probably due to the existence of technologies dealing with recycling of wastes, especially global market as well as due to its own awareness on the electronic and material waste through establishment of environmental issues in the last decades [17]. Environmental issues associated with the “dirty” power sources are decades old intergovernmental agreements on the global scale. and have been consequently addressed more in detail by the relevant authorities as compared to newer environmental threats 6. AKNOWLEDGEMENTS (e.g. electronic waste, batteries, rare earths, metals etc.). The inspiration for this paper was KET4CP – KET for clean production project to which Jožef Stefan Institute has The establishment of the UN E-Waste Coalition and the approached as the first and only Slovenian KET Technology introduction of the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Center at the time. I would like to thank the four independent Economy (PACE) [18] will hopefully lead to at least as reviewers that gave us further inspiration with their helpful and effective international protocols in the field of electronics and constructive comments. waste material recycling as were established in the field of power sources. Measures that would encourage companies to protect the environment should therefore apply to all companies 7. REFERENCES and all countries in order to maintain healthy competition [1] EUROPEAN COMMISSION. 2020. Key enabling between them. 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Why Nuclear Power Must Be Part of the tackle-challenge-e-waste Energy Solution. Yale Environment 360. 59 Transfer of knowledge and skills in STEM: Exploring and promoting digital analysis skills - Testing optimal conditions of X-ray irradiation Prenos znanja in veščin na področju STEM: Raziskovanje in promocija digitalnih veščin: Testiranje optimalnih pogojev rentgenskega obsevanja Svit Pestotnik Stres Gimnazija Bežigrad Peričeva 4, 1000 Ljubljana svit.pestotnik@gimb.org ABSTRACT information technology and science education to motivate young In this paper, we describe the transfer of knowledge and skills people to STEM content. In this context, digital skills are crucial between the High school and University system in establishing for establishing closer links between science and education. We of a digital environment for analytics in physics experiments. presented one of the options in our paper. ICT skills are essential in establishing the potential for automated In this paper, we describe an experiment done in collaboration or digital analysis in the observation of physics experiments. We between the International Baccalaureate at the Gimnazija have proven that this claim is valid in the case of X-ray detection Bežigrad and the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the on a imaging phantom. We photographed an irradiated imaging University of Ljubljana. The aim of this experiment was twofold: phantom under different initial conditions and tried to compare firstly, to explore how changing the voltage affects different results with each other in terms of different output parameters as image quality properties in X-ray Imaging phantom detection; optimal voltage used and signal to noise ratio. With the help of secondly, to explore how and to explore digital tools necessary independently created automated Python software for the RGB to execute the experiment as a regular study and collaboration analysis of the images and using analytical tools as Root and tool. The experiment and its data analysis allows for an Logger Pro programmes, we showed that collaboration between exploration of digital tools in STEM experiments and can the two educational systems is crucial for the transfer of represent a good basis for further collaboration between the knowledge and skills. institutions. Keywords The crucial element of this work was to establish a collaboration Digital technologies, digital skills, data analysis, STEM, X-ray that would enable the realization of the goal. The goal of this detection, imaging, observation research was to prove the correlation between the voltage applied to the X-ray apparatus and the image quality of the recorded POVZETEK picture. We were also exploring the impact of the distance V tem prispevku opisujemo prenos znanja in veščin med between the fluorescent screen and the phantom irradiated by the gimnazijo in univerzitetnim sistemom pri vzpostavitvi x-ray apparatus on the intensity of the light measured. digitalnega okolja za analitiko v fizikalnih eksperimentih. IKT The experiment conducted is based on the theory of X-rays. The spretnosti so bistvenega pomena pri ugotavljanju možnosti rays are produced by an apparatus, where a certain voltage is avtomatizirane ali digitalne analize pri opazovanju fizikalnih applied to a X-ray tube that accelerates the electrons towards the eksperimentov. Dokazali smo, da ta trditev velja v primeru molybdenum’s anode. The x-ray beams are the result of the rentgenskega zaznavanja na slikovnem fantomu. Fotografirali interaction of electrons with matter. They are shielded by a smo obsevan fantom za slikanje v različnih začetnih pogojih in poskušali med seboj primerjati rezultate glede na različne collimator so that can only exit the sources at a certain spatial angle. izhodne parametre kot sta optimalna uporabljena napetost in razmerje signal / šum. S pomočjo neodvisno ustvarjene The detection of X-rays was achieved by taking a picture of a avtomatizirane programske opreme Pyton za RGB analizo slik in fluorescent screen [1], which emitted fluorescent green light z uporabo analitičnih orodij kot sta programa Root in Logger Pro when hit by x-rays, with a camera. The acquisitions had to be smo pokazali ključno soodvisnost med obema sistemoma taken in complete darkness with a long exposure time to enable izobraževanja za namen prenosa znanja in spretnosti. enough light to accumulate on the sensor. Ključne besede After the data was converted to numerical form, a double error Digitalna technologija, digitalne veščine, analiza podatkov, function was fitted on the 2D response image. The parameters, STEM, rentgensko zaznavanje, slikanje, opazovanje which I received as an output, were then used in the analysis. 1. INTRODUCTION 2. METHODS In today's world, knowing digital approaches is increasingly The experiment was performed at the University of Ljubljana, crucial. On the other hand, the relationship between the various Faculty of Mathematics and Physics. I used the experimental branches of science - chemistry, physics, computer science - even equipment for the X-ray exercise of the subject Laboratory in the education system itself is still in its infancy. experiments V [2]. Interdisciplinarity and cross-curricular integration depend on individual initiatives. Particularly noteworthy is the link between 60 The detection of the x-ray particles was double-phased. The is significant, that the researchers involved take part in the apparatus used to produce x-rays was “Didaktiksysteme 554811” initiative SKOZ. [3]. The first part of the experiment was acquiring data in the The project itself will end at the end of 2020, during which time, form of captured photos, whereas the processes and techniques together with schools from the Western Cohesion Region, employed further on my research are analytical and systematical. research partners and business partners, established a solid and However, there is a second segment of activities embedded in functioning network of organizations that encourage the most this paper. It presents a proposal for technology transfer between talented students with projects. Jožef Stefan Institute took part in different parts/sectors of the educational system. In particular, the initiative, supporting more than 40 students so far. the paper proposes to enhance the capabilities of high schools by The purpose of SKOZ was to connect students with mentors and giving them access to digital tools that can only be found on the experts for the transfer of knowledge, in order to allow specific university level, but which could potentially be utilized by high subjects from a supportive environment to deal with the field of school students. work in specific research of the students. 2.1 Transfer of knowledge from one to the Gimnazija Bežigrad was not the recipients of the funds of the other educational environment tender announced in August 2017 by the Ministry of Education, It has soon become clear that without digital tools the observation Science and Sport. Even though it was not actively involved, it of the processes taking place in the imaging phantom and the still aimed at supporting and encouraging collaboration of the setup as a whole would be impossible on the level of accuracy experts with talented students. requested to draw reliable conclusions. In line with the idea of the project, in which the experts of the Thus the second aim of the study was to use existing and to Jožef Stefan Institute actively collaborated and understood its develop missing digital tools to enable RGB analysis of the purpose, also other more personal initiatives as this one were images taken. absorbed. These tools were developed with the assistance of the experts Thus on the point where digital skills transfer of knowledge was from the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics and established as a break through element, which will enable this Physics and Jožef Stefan Institute. study to be carried out, although via personal contacts, the collaboration has been established between the IB Gimnazija The main purpose of the collaboration was to enable quick, Bežigrad student and the experts from Jožef Stefan Institute and accurate and reliable analysis. Faculty of Mathematics and Physics. On the other hand, the process at hand demanded that a The transfer of knowledge resulted in the setup of the processes knowledge transfer in terms of technologies used and skills that required for the data analysis, as described below. enable analysis, to be transferred from one educational environment to the other, to enable analysis of the data 2.2 Analysis of data themselves. 2.2.1 Python script- image color processing 2.1.1 Transfer of knowledge and skills in STEM The photos taken by the camera were then transferred to a During the measurements it soon became obvious that the scope computer, where further analysis was carried out. The captures of analysis is too broad and too extensive to allow for a usual were analyzed using a Python script that determines a specific approach of analysing single data sets with simple analytics tools RGB light composure of a certain pixel on a straight line, whose as Excel or Logger Pro analysis, which are usually used in the direction and extremes are provided by the user. The result of the high school environment. image color processing is a graph of light intensity in the correlation with coordinate of the pixel explored. The base code Thus in a constructive dialogue with my IB Physics teacher it was found on the internet [5] and was then changed so that it was decided to seek for further assistance with the experts at the suited my experiment’s needs. Faculty of Matematics and Physics and Jožef Stefan Institute. 2.2.2 Root script- intensity analysis and image They proposed to collaborate on creating suitable analytics tools splitting that would be useful for the concrete analysis, but would also be ROOT [6] was in this experiment used in two parts of analysis. further used in the IB process, if necessary. The digital skills in Firstly, the picture of the phantom had to be split up in several question included in particular: smaller pictures, which were only showing one hole in the - Python script-image color processing, phantom at a time. This step was required to enable easier - Root script-intensity analysis and management with the original data. Other processes in the - image splitting. analysis were then run on large amount of very similarly structured photos, which enabled the code to be less complicated. The relevant digital skills to be transferred from a University to a High School environment proved to be crucial for the execution of the research at hand. To understand how the process of knowledge transfer happens from a University to a High School environment, we need to start with more background information on how collaboration between high school and faculty commenced and where in the process the knowledge transfer occurred. 2.1.2 Process of transfer Figure 1. Irradiated phantom Figure 2. Image splitting Since 2017 in Slovenia there is a systematic approach, the project Secondly, the color analysis done in ROOT analysis framework SKOZ [4], trying to connect students from high schools to is similar to the one in Python. However, in this case the options mentors at the Public research organizations. Although this for the analysis are much wider. A light composition analysis particular connection has been established via personal means, it investigation can be done over the x-, y- axis and over the whole 61 picture. To achieve the highest accuracy of the outputting values That is why I decided to perform the research only on the the analysis over the whole picture was done. The program tried remaining 6 different sizes of gaps (0.8mm, 1mm, 1.4mm, to fit an error function [7] on the 2D response. Borders of such a 1.6mm and 2mm). signal is usually treated as a Gaussian function [8], so when a number of signals are treated together as one signal, convolution of the point response with the image shape makes the borders take form of an error function. The fitting of an error function was in my case used all around the given circular 2D signal (Fig.6). green Color gree gr n En E t n r t ie r s ie 6 4 6 0 4 0 0 Me M a e n a n x 0 - . 0 4 . 7 4 8 7 7 8 Me M a e n a n y 0 - . 0 5 . 7 5 5 7 3 5 St S d t d De v De x v 2 2 2 . 2 6 . 9 6 St S d t d De v De y v 2 2 2 . 2 7 . 1 7 2 c / /n d n f d f 4 . 4 7 . 4 7 1 4 1 / / 6 3 6 9 3 4 9 A A 0 . 0 4 . 0 4 4 0 3 4 3 ± 0 . 0 1 . 6 1 6 6 4 6 m_x _ x 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 4 0 3 4 5 3 7 5 7 ± 1 . 1 1 . 5 1 6 5 m_y _ y 0 - . 0 9 . 6 9 1 6 3 1 3 ± 1 . 1 1 . 5 1 4 5 W W 1 4 1 . 4 7 . 4 7 4 ± 3 . 3 9 . 8 9 3 8 0.7 s 2 . 2 7 . 5 7 4 5 4 ± 1 . 1 9 . 1 9 6 1 B B 0 . 0 3 . 5 3 6 5 8 6 8 ± 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 7 0 8 7 7 8 5 7 Figure 4. Example of analyzed material (left) 0.6 0.5 Figure 5. Python color intensity test (right) 0.4 The voltages used in this experiment are displayed in the table 0.3 below: 0.2 Table 1. Accelerating voltages used on the X-ray apparatus 0.1 0 Trial no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 y 30 Voltage [kV] 35 32 29 26 23 20 2010 0 30 x -10 20 10 -20 The aim of this experiment was to explore how changing the - 0 -30 - - 10 20 voltage affects different image quality properties. -40 - 30 40 3.1 Resolution dependence on the voltage Figure 3. 2D histogram of a captured photo  is a parameter of the error function that essentially tells us how The outputs that determined the double error function were: steep the border between the peak of the signal and background of the measurement is. It represents the width of a derivative -A, the height of the signal, function of the error function. The width of the derivative is a -W, the width of the signal, statistical value that tells us how well the border of the picture -B, the height of the background, was captured, the quality of the image can be described. -∂, the width on the half of the height of the graph od derivative of the error function 2.2.3 LoggerPro analysis The data acquired from the analysis by the code in Python and ROOT can be transferred to LoggerPro by importing the data as a text file with different columns. After the data is appropriately represented, we can identify the average height of the signal and the average width of the border by using cursor coordinates displayed by LoggerPro. The data gathered was then presented in the table to show the correlation. Graphs were drawn to Figure 6. Error function (left) explore different dependences. Figure 7. Average width of the derivative function of the 3. RESULTS error function (right) The images captured using the phantom with holes and the above The data that was processed with the mentioned codes resulted described setup (Fig.3), were analyzed using the described digital in the graph, where the sigma-value does not increase or decrease tools. with the variation of voltage. There was no found correlation Our goal was to determine the sharpness of the holes’ images. since the changes in the values with different voltages are The results acquired from the exploration were firstly in the form probably a result of a statistical error. The data gathered and of pictures (see example in Fig.7). After the analysis using the averaged is collected in the table and the graph below. developed Python programming tools the results had a numerical Table 2. 's average values for different gap diameters and form, since they represented an average width of the signal and voltages the average height. Both obtained values are an important test of the sharpness of the picture border and the quality of the photo. Diameter of the 2 1.6 1.4 1 0.8 0.5 hole [mm] / After the ROOT script was run on a set of little pictures, as Voltage [kV] presented above, the code tried to find the best fit for the 35 3.07 3.43 3.47 3.38 3.63 3.72 mentioned double error function. The parameters that root used 32 3.03 3.45 3.46 3.46 3.60 6.04 to find the best correlation, were then exported to a .txt file, 29 3.00 3.44 3.47 3.41 3.11 3.54 where they could be used for further analysis. 26 3.21 3.66 3.70 3.49 3.68 2.97 On the pictures captured with the lower input voltage the smallest 23 2.92 3.33 3.48 3.17 3.28 3.55 holes of the size of 0.5mm were really hard to see and the analysis 20 3.93 4.39 4.46 8.93 10.17 4.01 of light intensity on those was not returning consistent results. 62 pertinent that the transfer of knowledge is supported between the educational systems to allow for an optimal human resources development for the future industrial needs. 5. CONCLUSION Ultimately, the results could not have been obtained without using digital skills. STEM collaboration between high school and experts with highly developed digital skills is of utmost importance in order to firstly promote digital skills at a relatively early age of students, and secondly, to enable the students to learn them and use them in real-experimental setups, measurements and analysis. The conclusion is, that transfer of knowledge is very important in the STEM field and that young people can obtain many options Graph 1.  's correlation with voltage and opportunities with such transfer of knowledge, which would otherwise would not be achievable for them – and is not time financially or consuming for the university system at all. Only We can clearly see that the differences between the values are not through transfer of knowledge and skills between the two the consequence of the variation of voltage. educational systems optimal solutions can be found. 4. DISCUSSION 6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 4.1 Usefulness of the Transfer of knowledge My thanks to University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics As the baseline, I need to reconfirm the thesis that none of this and Physics for letting me use their x-ray apparatus, used for the work would be possible without the collaboration between subject Laboratory experiments 5, and for all advice on how to Gimnazija Bežigrad and Jožef Stefan Institute alongside with the approach the analysis of data and the knowledge transferred Faculty of Mathematics and Physics. The knowledge transferred about how to do so. in the field of digital skills and analysis were of the utmost 7. REFERENCES importance for the design and execution of the experiment. [1] Fluorescence. Wikipedia. [internet]. [cited on September The role of the project SKOZ was previously explained and can 05, 2020]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X- here be reconfirmed that it has created, at least for this particular ray_fluorescence. setup of people, technologies and skills needed, an awareness of a need for collaboration and transfer of knowledge between the [2] Fizikalni praktikum 3. Poskusi z žarki. [internet]. [cited on different educational systems. September 05, 2020]. Available from: http://predmeti.fmf.uni- The creation of digital skills in a different environment and a lj.si/fizprak3?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=Xzarki.p transfer of knowledge and promotion of digital analytics has been df. subject to personal experience and efforts, which I am thankful for. This, however, also sheds a ray of light onto the future [3] Instruction sheet 554 811. X-ray Apparatus. [internet]. possible transfer of knowledge and skills between the two [cited on September 05, 2020]. Available from: educational systems. https://www.ld-didactic.de/documents/en- US/GA/GA/5/554/554811e.pdf?__hstc=98968833.1bb630 4.2 Accuracy of the established digital tools f9cde2cb5f07430159d50a3c91.1530662400075.15306624 The ROOT and Python analysis scripts I ran on captured photos 00076.1530662400077.1&__hssc=98968833.1.153066240 often did not give very accurate output, because the starting 0078&__hsfp=1773666937. parameters were not set correctly. Even though I worked on [4] Project SKOZ [internet]. [cited on April 23, 2020] improving the code to the point, where the efficiency and Available from: https://www.gimvic.org/dejavnosti/skoz/ reliability was relatively high, there were still some cases where the code using the described models did not converge with the [5] Python Math: Convert RGB color to HSV color. [internet]. initial parameters provided. Especially the part of the [cited on March 30, 2020]. Available from: experiment, where the Root script was finding optimum double https://www.w3resource.com/python- error function to fit on the given data, was problematic, since a exercises/math/python-math-exercise-77.php. small difference in the way function was structured had major [6] ROOT analysis programme. [internet]. [cited on impact on the output parameters. September 05, 2020]. Available from: http://root.cern.ch. To conclude, the experiment could of course be performed more [7] Derivative of an error function. [internet]. [cited on efficiently, professionally, accurately, the errors could be September 05, 2020]. Available from: minimized. However, I believe that with given time, resources https://www.numberempire.com/graphingcalculator.php?f and my non-existing previous experience with such machinery, unctions=erf%28x%29%2C%282%2A%25e%5E- the experiment was performed optimally, and the results are quite x%5E2%29%2Fsqrt%28%25pi%29. relevant as they show how and to what degree digital skills are important in analysis of data obtained in physics experiments. [8] Error function. Wikipedia. [internet]. [cited on September 05, 2020]. Available from: Moreover, not only is the transfer of knowledge important https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Error_function. between the industry and public research organizations. It is 63 64 DODATEK / APPENDIX 65 INTRODUCTION AND AIM OF THE CONFERENCE Conference topic: How to maximize the impact of technology transfer funnel at TTOs? Subtopics: Assisting enterprises in order to better use the RTD results from public research organizations How to approach enterprises? The perspectives of TTOs, researchers and enterprises. The value proposition of early stage technologies for enterprises. Creation of an efficient national Proof-of-Concept (PoC) funding system. Helping spin-offs to succeed. Improving the knowledge base of technology transfer experts. Objectives of the Conference The main aim of the Conference is to promote knowledge exchange between academia and industry, in order to strengthen the cooperation and transfer of innovations from research labs into industrial exploitation. The Conference goal is also further strengthening the knowledge base and experiences of technology transfer professionals at public research organisations. In the past events, we hosted more than 2500 participants, including investors, inventors, researchers, students, technology commercialization and intellectual property experts, start-up funders, industrial development experts etc. We have successfully organized eleven competitions to award the team with their technology and business proposition with the biggest commercial potential, which led to successful start-ups and licensing contracts. Biannually we organise Research2Business (R2B) pre-scheduled meetings in order to give the participants additional opportunity to meet and discuss possible cooperation. Researchers presenting their work being financed by Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) is another channel for enterprises to get familiar with recent discoveries and development opportunities. Conference prize for the best innovations in 2020 The main objective of the special prize for innovation is to encourage commercialization of inventive/innovative technologies developed at public research organizations and to promote cooperation between research organizations and industry. One of the main objectives is also promoting the entrepreneurship possibilities and good practices in the public research organizations. Researchers are preparing business models for their technologies and present them to an international panel of experts in a pitch competition. They need support in many aspects of their path from research to industrial application. The researchers and their team need assistance, knowledge and tools to develop business models, find appropriate partners, form a team, and secure financial resources to bridge the gap from publicly funded research to the market, either in their own start-up (spin-out) company or by licensing out their technology. How shall they do it and how can we help them? The Conference pitch competitions in the last eleven years resulted in spin-out company creation or licensing case development in at least one case per competition each year. In many cases, young researchers that participated in pitch competition in the past years, have been involved for the first time in an organized and structured process of development business model around their technology and preparation of the targeted (pitch) presentation about their planned venture to investors and technology commercialization experts. 66 WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy The aim of the WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy is to stimulate Slovenian enterprises to intensify their cooperation with public research organisations. We wish to expose as a good practice those enterprises that are constantly and methodologically using the IP system in their business activities. WIPO Medal for Inventors The goal of the WIPO Medal for Inventors is to award inventive and innovative activity of Slovenian public researchers and to recognize their contribution to national wealth and development. Research2Business meetings In the course of the conference, pre-scheduled Research2Business (R2B) meetings will take place, allowing the representatives of companies and research institutions to discuss possible development solutions, inventions and commercially interesting technologies. Such meetings present an excellent basis for possible future research cooperation and business synergies. Opportunities arising from publicly funded research projects / presentations of successful scientific projects Researchers will be presenting their work that is being financed by Slovenian Research Agency. Key stakeholders The conference involves different key stakeholders in the process, public research organizations as knowledge providers, technology parks as infrastructure providers, business accelerators, intellectual property offices, IP attorneys, agencies, consultants, capital (venture capital companies, agencies, business angels), SMEs, international enterprises, private innovators, and others. Target audience and benefits Target audience of the conference are researchers, students and post-graduate students with entrepreneurial ambitions, representatives of industry, established and future entrepreneurs, innovators and also representatives from governmental institutions and policy-making organizations. 67 Introduction to the International Technology Transfer Conference The International Technology Transfer Conference (ITTC) is organized by the Jožef Stefan Institute (Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation) for the 13th year in a row. The first ITTC was organized in 2008. The ITTC has, through the years, been presented in different formats and it is currently organized as part of the International multiconference Information Society (IS2020), organized by the Jožef Stefan Institute. The Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation at the Jožef Stefan Institute is the coordinator of the project KTT (2017-2022), coordinator of Enterprise Europe Network Slovenia, and is a financially independent unit. The CTT is presently involved in 4 projects, having recently been involved in three additional ones. The Conference has been organized with the support of partners from the KTT project (2017-2022). The previous project KTT, from 2013 through 2014, was the first project within which technology transfer in Slovenia was systematically funded from national funds. There were 6 partners involved, but the project only lasted for 17 months. The current KTT project, 2017-2022, comprises 8 partners, all public research organizations (PROs), represented by their respective technology transfer offices (TTOs), namely, 4 leading institutes and 4 renowned universities. The project's mission is twofold: the strengthening of links and increasing the cooperation of PROs and industry and the strengthening the competences of TTOs, researchers and enterprises. Most (80%+) of the finances go to human resource financing. Support of Slovenian Industry The goal of the KTT project is to support the industry in Slovenia, rather than an outflow of knowledge abroad or great profit for PROs. Collaboration between PROs and SMEs in Slovenia should be strengthened. However, Slovenian companies prefer contract and collaborative cooperation to buying licenses and patent rights. Also, a relatively low added value per employee and a low profit margin are not stimulating the research-industry collaboration. Investing into Intellectual Property Rights Despite the above stated it is important to invest in patents and other forms of intellectual property (IP). Investments in intellectual property increase licensing opportunities and the IP position of the Slovenian knowledge worldwide. Research2Business meetings One-to-one research-to-business pre-scheduled (virtual) meetings allow the representatives of companies and research institutions to discuss possible development solutions, inventions and commercially interesting technologies. Such meetings present an excellent basis for possible future research cooperation and business synergies. The meetings focus on applications, solutions and expertise in natural sciences like electronics, IT, robotics, new materials, environment, physics, chemistry and biochemistry. Companies and researchers book meetings also with technology transfer experts from the Center of technology transfer and innovation. The meetings are held virtually through b2match platform. The Research-to-business meetings at the Conference were co-organized in collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network partners. 68 Strengthening the Competences of TTOs The goal of the KTT project is to establish technology transfer centers in Slovenia as integral parts of PROs, which shall, first and foremost, strive to serve the interests of the researcher and the PRO. The TTOs shall assist the researcher throughout the entire procedure of the industry-research cooperation, by raising competences and educating, taking care of legal and administrative issues, and promote research achievements among the industry. Lastly, TTOs shall support the cooperation already established by research groups. 69 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The editors and organizing committee of the Conference would like to express cordial thanks to all who helped make the 13th International Technology Transfer Conference a success. We would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions to the members of the SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME COMMITTEE: Dr. Jeff Skinner, Executive Director of Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, London Business School, Dr. Jon Wulff Petersen, director, Technology Transfer, Plougmann Vingtoft, Niko Schlamberger, President of Slovenian Society INFORMATIKA, Doc. Dr. Tamara Besednjak Valič, Faculty of Information Studies in Novo Mesto, for their contribution to the scientific programme and review of the scientific contributions and selection for publication in this Conference proceedings. Our special thanks go to the EVALUATION COMMISSION MEMBERS: Andreja Satran, Managing Director, ABC Accelerator, Dr. Jeff Skinner, Executive Director, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, London Business School, Dr. Jon Wulff Petersen, Director, Technology Transfer, Plougmann Vingtoft, Robert Al, Head of Business development, TU/e Innovation lab, Eindhoven University of Technology, and proxy member, Mark Cox, Knowledge Valorisation Officer, TU/e Innovation lab, Eindhoven University of Technology, for their evaluation of written technology commercialization proposals and selection of winning teams, authors of inventive technologies with the best potential for commercialization of the technologies, developed at Public Research Organizations. We are particularly grateful to the members of the EVALUATION COMMISSION: Jeff Skinner, London School of Business, Jon Wulff Petersen, TTO Ltd., Denmark, Alojz Barlič, Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), for their evaluation and selection of the awardees of the WIPO IP ENTERPRISE TROPHY and WIPO MEDAL FOR INVENTORS. 70 Day 1 71 OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME 8 October 2020 (virtual teleconference) 08.30 – 09.00 Registration Welcome address Dr. Simona Kustec, Minister, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport 09.00 – 09.15 Prof. Dr. Jadran Lenarčič, Director, Jožef Stefan Institute Dr. Špela Stres, MBA, LLM, Head of the Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation, Jožef Stefan Institute Keynote speech: Does the relation between the technology transfer and business education system influence the transfer efficiency? Dr. Jeff Skinner, Executive Director, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 09.15 – 10.00 London Business School, UK Keynote speech: How to maximize the impact of technology transfer funnel at TTOs? Dr. Jon Wulff Petersen, Director, Technology Transfer, Plougmann Vingtoft, Denmark 10.00 – 12.00 Best innovation with commercial potential: Pitch competition 12.00 – 13.00 Lunch break 13.00 – 13.20 Award announcement: Best innovation with commercial potential Award announcement: WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy Paper presentations: scientific papers on technology transfer and intellectual property Round table on IPR management in industry: Mag. Mladen Vukmir, Vukmir and Associates, Zagreb, expert in IPR management, 13.20 – 15.20 patent attorney Mr. Gverino Ratoša, innovation in automotive industry, Hidria d. o. o. Mr. Drago Lemut, Director, company Le-Tehnika d. o. o. Prof. Dr. Alexsandre Marin, Director TTO, University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest; EEN member, EU IPR Helpdesk Ambassador 15:20 – 16.50 Opportunities arising from publicly funded research projects / presentations of successful scientific projects Award announcement: WIPO Medal for Inventors 16.50- Closing Parallel session: Besearch2Business meetings (B2R meetings) 9:00 – 13:00 72 WELCOME ADDRESSES From 9:00 to 09:15 Honorable Speakers: Dr. Simona Kustec, Minister Ministry of Education, Science and Sport Prof. Dr. Jadran Lenarčič, Director Jožef Stefan Institute Dr. Špela Stres, MBA, LMM, Head of the Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation, Jožef Stefan Institute 73 KEYNOTE SPEECHES From 09:15 to 10:00 Honorable Speakers: Dr. Jeff Skinner, Executive Director, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, London Business School, UK Does the relation between the technology transfer and business education system influence the transfer efficiency? Dr. Jon Wulff Petersen, Director, Technology Transfer, Plougmann Vingtoft, Denmark How to maximize the impact of technology transfer funnel at TTOs? 74 Does the relation between the technology transfer and business education system influence the transfer efficiency? Keynote speech by Dr Jeff Skinner, Executive Director, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, London Business School, UK The summary written by: Tomaž Justin, Miha Pitako, Robert Blatnik, Center for technology transfer and innovation, Jožef Stefan Institute Dr Jeff Skinner shared the business and research practice of how multiple relations between the technology transfer and business education system can influence the transfer efficiency. The question of “Can the relationship between the technical universities improve and benefit technology transfer from connecting with business schools and how?” arose as a focal point of where and how technology and business meet and evolve together seeing that technology transfer should be complemented with a great business strategy. People from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) usually have useful tech knowledge and ideas but those ideas lack support by people who could and would want to commercialize the idea. The efficiency of technology transfer can be improved if we help researchers to learn how to sell their knowledge and how to combine their talents with the entrepreneurs’ ones both exploiting existing business education systems and opportunities. Researchers have to go on a business and commercial journey from their laboratories to the world. They have to be empowered to effectively and efficiently search for the right application, with the right team and business model around the technology they invented. This is where business schools can complement the journey of the invention or innovation to the market as they can provide people with knowledge and skills of entrepreneurial methodology, offer existing business courses accessible to researchers, provide access to MBA students who love to work on cool stuff and have already established “entrepreneurial clubs” for networking and exchange of ideas. How can we combine these talents effectively? Researchers should mix and form teams with those who have business know-how and entrepreneurial spirit. In trying to combine these talents effectively we tried different approaches in order to form teams out of mixing people with different technical talents and people with business know-how. Researchers may join existing MBA courses to understand how business “think” and enable them to form teams with MBA students that may last beyond the course. As it turns out the sooner an idea can generate a critical mass of people supporting it the more likely it is to have market success. With bringing new venture ideas to the MBAs, they may be able to test different business models for technology commercialisation regardless, none of them is tailored to technology transfer exclusively. Business people should understand the business aspect of the technology transfer. By bringing people together into a single space to share ideas we are trying to establish a “cohort feel” to enable ideas support with people helping each other in different areas of expertise in order to enable freedom over scheduling and duration of the project as technology transfer projects may take months if not years to come to fruition. The other option is to inject technology transfer projects into MBA courses that may bring useful ideas on how to commercialize the innovations or inventions. Technology Transfer 75 Offices (TTOs) select promising projects that are elaborated almost as a consultancy project. We can argue if we do like that technology transfer opportunities are written up as teaching cases. We may want to venture out of the classroom with enabling co-curricular activities organized by the school’s staff. It is even better that students form semi-structured opportunities to mingle. At London Business School we are organizing hackathons, launchpads, team-forming workshops, competitions and challenges in order to achieve inter-sectoral mingling. By doing so we established several effective semi-structured educational opportunities for researchers to become better sellers. On one hand, after joining some forms of business education, some of the researchers may be even more curious about the efficient process of commercialization. On the other hand, Business Schools have assets that TTOs can use. For example, entrepreneurship courses to learn and team-build or MBA students who crave tech opportunities with some social capital in the business world that can enable the technology project to reach the market. But business education for researchers to become better sellers will always be a bit ad hoc and focused on the individual rather than project development. As it turns out the technology transfer projects are often about personal skills training. This is making it much more difficult to demonstrate the impact of the business education system on the transfer efficiency in short term. There is no steady state for technology transfer offices. This is why one should not overthink things but just do something, act on them. TTOs have to constantly think of new ways of engaging. To conclude: TTOs at STEM and business schools should enable and support mingling and networking within formal or informal mixing of different student’s ‘clubs. Be it medical clubs, media clubs, management clubs and others that can provide an environment in order to enable team formation of differently skilled people to gather around an idea as quickly as possible. The quicker an idea gathers a team the more likely it is to succeed. 76 How to maximize the impact of technology transfer funnel at TTOs? Keynote speech by Dr Jon Wulff Petersen, Director, Technology Transfer, Plougmann Vingtoft, Denmark The summary written by: Tomaž Justin, Miha Pitako, Robert Blatnik, Center for technology transfer and innovation, Jožef Stefan Institute Dr Jon Wulff Petersen, pointed out that technology transfer is a contact sport demanding a team effort with work that has to be organized systematically by clear concepts and rules whilst working with academia. This leads to the need of combining individual and team approaches. Technology transfer offices (TTOs) connect academic, scientific and research institutions with the industry and interact with various groups of people with different competences and roles, ranging from researchers, patent specialists, external project pilots, external mentors, seed investors and so on. The key is to form a team very early on, even around immature ideas. Since technology transfer is not an individual challenge, technology transfer requires a system thinking where organizational knowledge build-up is a key. Acknowledging the fact that we will always be short on resources, early funding such as proof of concept and seed capital has to be spent wisely. It is very important for technology transfer offices, apart from the skilled individuals, to have systems, processes and tools in the TTOs to overcome eventual lack of resources. This lack of resources is a challenge that requires clever systems and embedded processes such as the “Triangle method”, project and decision-making questionnaires, templates and other tools. The technology transfer system with a technology transfer office has to be robust enough to tackle good staff members leaving the successful TTO and joining the industry. On the other hand, when a TTO is on the rise one has to think of how to plug new people into TTOs as the TTO gets successful. The “Triangle method” is an important vehicle system that follows the case of technology evaluation for technology transfer all the way through the process. It is a way of organizing questions for which you want answers to when you have new technology. Some questions are more important than others and some are showstoppers. The TTO triangle method links six segments where specific value is added to them for the technology evaluation. The segments we observe in the TTO Triangle are: Application, Market, Competition, Human resources, Development time and cost and Intellectual property rights and regulatory. The TTO Triangle method is also an effective communication tool towards the team, to be used in explaining to the team, researchers and other colleagues or the outside world about the new technology. It can be used as well as a portfolio management system and as a tool for introducing new staff members into the system. An additional tool is the NABC - Needs, Approach, Benefits, Competition - which was developed at Stanford University and is broadly used in Scandinavia along grading and comparing inventions. The NABC is preferably using a simple system, like 10-point scale, which can also be used to provide new insights. It helps us understand what are we missing or what do we have to improve. The TTO Triangle method and NABC can be useful communication tools for creating team spirit and energy in the process. Communication assures progress, creates transparency, commitment and back up for the technology transfer system and the TTO. 77 A lot of work in technology transfer offices runs in circles – from analysing ideas to business development where we can be successful or the idea goes bad. Transparency in communication with participants within the process of technology transfer is imperative for when or if the invention is given back to the researchers at a certain stage of the evaluation or transfer process. The “giving-back” should be a positive learning process for the whole team, in particular for the researchers who should know the criteria and the decision-making foundation in advance. It is helpful for the TTO staff to be outgoing, to understand technology and have great social skills. The TTOs staff should be mindful not to get too far ahead of the research team they are trying to help. The feeling of ownership should remain with the R&D team. The R&D team should be encouraged and not frontrunner by the TTO stuff. To maximize the impact of technology transfer funnel at TTOs, stakeholders have to build a local technology transfer ecosystem that will work with local, near-by resources. Early stage technology transfer does not work well on long distances. Inventors have to connect with management professionals and do bottom-up market analysis rather than top-down one. 78 BEST INNOVATION WITH COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: PITCH COMPETITION From 10:00 to 12:00 Moderator: Robert Blatnik, Senior Technology Manager | Spinnovator, Jožef Stefan Institute, Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation (CTT) Evaluation commission: Andreja Satran, Managing Director, ABC Accelerator Dr. Jeff Skinner, Executive Director, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, London Business School Dr. Jon Wulff Petersen, Director, Technology Transfer, Plougmann Vingtoft Robert Al, Head of Business development, TU/e Innovation lab, Eindhoven University of Technology (proxy member: Mark Cox, Knowledge Valorisation Officer, TU/e Innovation lab, Eindhoven University of Technology) Presentation of six (6) selected business model proposals from public research labs to the technology transfer experts. 79 Course of the competition Robert Blatnik, Jožef Stefan Institute, Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation (CTT) The 12th annual competition for the best innovation in 2020 at public research organizations (PROs) aims at stimulating the researchers from public research organizations to develop business models for commercialization of their inventions. The competition was initiated with a public call, which was open to authors of inventive technologies with a proposed business model for commercialization. Eligible applicants for the call are individuals, employed at PROs, which are developing innovative scientific-research ideas into a viable business model. Possible business models are either licensing the technology to industrial partners or commercialization in a spinout company. The teams have prepared their application and pitch presentation following the guidelines, which were introduced by the Organizer of the Conference at the dedicated preparatory webinar which was organized for the teams. The webinar consisted of three one-hour parts. The researchers learned the guidelines on how to prepare their pitch presentation. In a series of three webinars we went through the process of preparing a pitch of their invention and business model to a potential investor or a partner in a future venture; either licensing the technology to an industrial partner or via commercializing of the technology in their own spin-out company. We have discussed which are the stronger points in the specific business model of participants and how to prepare an effective and appealing presentation for the intended audience of their pitch. The guidelines for preparing a pitch included the following elements: Cover / Introduction slide (name & compelling tagline); Deal (what you are selling, to whom, for what price); Market & segmentation (target customer, market size, trends); Customer value proposition and why now; Product (the solution); Financials; Impact; Competitive advantage; Team & founder’s/inventor’s dream; Summary / three key points to remember. The written description of the proposed invention/innovation included the following chapters: Title of the idea with a brief commercial tagline; Summary; The Science; The Opportunity (problem and solution); The Plan (Development stage and Business model); The Team; Impact. The teams and their applications with the proposed business models were evaluated by an international panel of experts which constituted the evaluation commission. The members of the evaluation commission are the following experts: Andreja Satran, Managing Director, ABC Accelerator, Dr. Jeff Skinner, Executive Director, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, London Business School, Dr. Jon Wulff Petersen, Director, Technology Transfer, Plougmann Vingtoft, and Robert Al, Head of Business development, TU/e Innovation lab, Eindhoven University of Technology and his proxy member: Mark Cox, Knowledge Valorisation Officer, TU/e Innovation lab, Eindhoven University of Technology. The experts evaluated the proposals in two phases. The 1st phase was the evaluation of written descriptions and the 2nd phase was the evaluation of the five-minute pitch at the Conference. The evaluation experts used the predetermined evaluation criteria which were already defined in the public call. The Criteria for evaluation are divided into six lots, which together account for total of 19 criteria. The criteria are presented in the table 1; each of the 19 criteria brings at the most 10 points. After the pitch the experts exchanged their views and opinions and selected the winner(s). The Criteria is presented in the Table 1. The traditional pitch competition, which this year had its 12th anniversary, stimulated six innovative and entrepreneurial research teams to prepare their pitch and apply for competition. Members of the teams have participated in three preparatory workshops to develop their pitch 80 and receive comments for improvements of their presentations. The workshop was organized by Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation as part of the KTT project, financed by Slovenian Ministry of education, science and sport. The teams are entirely or partly employed at the Slovenian PROs, Jožef Stefan Institute, National Institute of Chemistry, National Institute of Biology and University of Ljubljana. Criteria lots Criteria 1. Overall Degree to which project aligns with market need Project’s IPR situation 2. Product/application advantage Unique benefits Meets customer needs better Value for money 3. Market attractiveness Market size Market growth Favourable trends 4. Competitive situation Degree of entry barriers Level of competitiveness Manufacturing / processing synergies 5. Technology maturity Technical gap Complexity Technical uncertainty 6. Risk versus return Expected profitability (e.g. NPV) Return (e.g. IRR) Payback period Certainty of return / profit estimates Low cost & fast to do Table 1: Criteria for evaluating the applications (source: Jon Wulff Petersen, TTO A/S, Denmark) 81 Abstracts of the Competing Teams and their Technologies 82 Contact-based, leaching-free antimicrobial textile Authors/inventors: Marija Vukomanović, Srečo Škapin, Danilo Suvorov PRO: Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia Abstract: Antimicrobial textile market is currently valued at around 10.48 billion USD with predicted growth rate close to 9.8% for the period from 2020 to 2026. The development of new fabrics is promoting the market growth. Further up-scaling of the production is particularly expected to support the healthcare industry’s requirement for masks and other medical textiles amid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides being efficient against microbes, antimicrobial component inside textile has to meet important additional criteria regarding: (i) toxicity, (ii) allergenicity, (iii) irritation and (iii) sensitization. These are the most challenging criteria in selecting adequate antimicrobial component. Silver is frequently used antimicrobial present in many products (i.e. AlphaSan®, Silpure®, Silvadur™, SmartSilver®, Silvérion 2400). Integrated inside textile in form of ions or (nano)particles it is leached to provide antimicrobial activity. Lately there have been a lot of concerns about safety of this technology. Sweden’s national agency for chemical inspection has ruled silver as health risk (for human genetic material, reproduction, and embryonic development). Regulations in USA and Australia limit application of antimicrobial silver, particular in healing procedures. Still there is a high demand for discovery and implementation of the novel strategies able to replace existing, potentially toxic antimicrobial technologies. The last opens wide highways for innovation and progress in this area. Our team is designing innovative antimicrobial technologies for more than 10 years. We are holding EU patent on contact-based, non-leaching gold-based technology with proven efficacy in replacing antimicrobial silver (illustrated in Fig.1). Our next challenge is to formulate product prototype that will place our technology closer to the market. Figure 1: Current state of the invention: gold powder its efficacy and cytotoxicity in direct comparison to nano-silver. Doctoral dissertation, M. Vukomanovic, 2012. 83 DiTeR: Dynamic thermal line rating software Authors/inventors: Gregor Kosec, Jure Slak PRO: Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia Abstract: One of the important aspects of transmission lines is overheating and thus the transmission capacity of the transmission network is often limited by the maximum allowed temperature of the conductor. Traditionally, the static capacity of the line is conservatively set for unfavourable weather conditions, i.e. hot sunny windless days. A more sophisticated approach is to dynamically determine the capacity considering the weather conditions or the weather forecast, which results in a considerable increase of the transmission capacity of the line. Based on experiences from theoretical studies and technology transfers, we developed a software package DiTeR that enables forecasting of thermal rating of power lines. The implemented software package has achieved high reliability and industrial level of use (TRL 9), thus representing a product that can be marketed on an international level. With DiTeR, any transmission system operator can much better utilize its power transmission network. Additionally, DiTeR increases the reliability of the transmission network and offers support for decision making in forecasts of extreme events. Currently, it is in operational use by the Slovenian transmission operator ELES that monitors 27 transmission lines with it. Figure 1: The image shows an overhead powerline that collapsed due to extreme icing. This event triggered the creation of software for thermal management which evolved into DiTeR. Eles d.o.o., February 2014. 84 Single step production of Bio-based methacrylic acid for plastic and coating industries Authors/inventors: Ashish Bohre, Miha Grilc, Blaž Likozar, Peter Venturini, Martin Ocepek and Miha Steinbücher. PRO: National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia Industrial partner: Helios Tblus d. o. o., Slovenia Abstract: Methacrylic acid (MAA) is an industrially important monomer, widely used to produce organic glass (poly-methyl methacrylate), acrylic fibres, plastics, and paints. Currently, the majority of MAA in the industries are produced through acetone-cyanohydrin process. This unsustainable method relies on expensive and extremely toxic feedstocks and corrosive concentrated acids. Besides the use of harmful substrates, low atom economy, poor product selectivity and the net emission of greenhouse gases are other drawbacks, associated with the industrial process, while the production is based exclusively on a non-renewable fossil-based resource. We have invented an efficient and sustainable catalytic route for the production of MAA. MAA is sourced from inexpensive and abundant lignocellulosic biomass derived feedstocks thus addressing one of the major issues associated with the utilization of depleting fossil fuel based feedstocks. Our technology provides industrially-relevant yield and selectivity, with more than 90 % of purity of MAA in a single step process. The archived MAA yield is higher compared to the previously reported method that utilized noble metal catalyst and alkaline base as a co-catalyst. Our catalytic process enables to replace the current multiple-step and energy-intensive industrial process of the MAA production in a single step from petroleum-based chemicals with the bio-based feedstock under relatively mild operating conditions. Figure 1: Single step production of Bio-based methacrylic acid for plastic and coating industries. Ashish Bohre, Miha Grilc, Blaž Likozar, Peter Venturini, Martin Ocepek and Miha Steinbücher, 2020. 85 A scalable method for eco-benign destruction of waterborne microorganisms Authors/inventors: Gregor Primc, Arijana Filipić, Rok Zaplotnik, David Dobnik, Ion Gutierrez Aguirre, Matevž Dular, Martin Petkovšek, Miran Mozetič PRO: Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia; National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ljubljana, Slovenia Abstract: Water scarcity is one of the biggest problems we are facing today so there is a global need for a stable supply of safe, pathogen-free water. Contaminated waters come from various sources including hospitals, farms and irrigation systems. These waters are guided through water-treatment systems; however, they usually do not inactivate viruses. Currently, chlorination, or similar chemical methods, are used for water disinfection, what represents potential environmental hazard. Chlorinated water released to the environment can cause adverse changes to many useful, but chlorine susceptible microbes. Treatment by ultraviolet radiation or ozone is only feasible for the disinfection of small quantities of contaminated water and efficient decontamination is limited by water turbidity. Our innovative technology presents an eco-friendly way for inactivation of waterborne microorganisms, particularly viruses, with low operation costs. The first phase is penetrating the market of small irrigation systems, such as hydroponics, second phase is a device for cleaning the heavily virus-contaminated water from clinics and the third phase, if successful with previous two phases, are large users, such as wastewater treatment plants and urban water systems with a large purification device. Globally, there are roughly one million potential small users and several thousand large users. Our technology exploits synergistic effects of two technologies (plasma and cavitation). The efficiency of its decontamination potential has been proved in laboratories, and the patent application to EPO has been submitted in October 2020. Figure 1: Abstract illustration on cleaning virus-contaminated water with synergistic effect of plasma and cavitation. Author: Gregor Primc (2020). 86 Enhanced cross-differential dynamic microscopy. A DLS- like particle characterization technique for cost-effective and accurate analysis of complex systems Authors/inventors: Andrej Petelin, Natan Osterman, Luka Cmok PROs: Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Abstract: Enhanced cross-differential dynamic microscopy (C-DDM) is a cost-effective tool for the analysis of the soft matter dynamics in biosciences and biopharmaceuticals, paints, inks and coatings, nanomaterials, foods and drinks, pharmaceuticals and drug delivery, and academic research. The sensitivity of the method promises to be comparable to current commercial tools, like Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), with added benefits of the multi-angle characterization for the analysis of complex systems, so it covers a broader range of use compared to DLS. The market size for DLS devices in European academic research is estimated to 15000 potential customers and 100 devices sold per year. C-DDM will be marketed as a complementary tool for studying the more complex system, or replacing more standard DLS applications. So, all current customers of DLS are potential buyers of C-DDM. Globally, in the long term, adding industrial customers into play, an estimated 1M revenue is viable, which is enough for a small-size sustainable business. We are a team of three, capable of completing the first phase of the development plan, that is, bringing the first device to the market in a year or two, and raising funds for further development. Team members have a good track record in applied research and have plans to improve the device in the future and to apply the technology for liquid crystal characterization and particle characterization tools for industrial research. For this, we will have to be successful in drafting the research projects and obtaining human resources (students). After finishing the research and development stage within three to five years, the team will assess the market and technology state and decide on future directives (licensing, spin-off). 87 A New Paradigm on Plastic Waste »PLASTICS - the Problem or the Solution« Authors/inventors: Andrej Trkov, Luka Snoj, Stane Merše, Blaž Likozar, Johannes T. van Elteren PRO: Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia; National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia Abstract: Plastic waste is a big problem for the environment. Significant reduction of plastic use by replacement with more sustainable materials, circular economy and change of our behaviour is the key priority. However, plastics are hard to replace for some specific purposes, but eventually all plastic products become waste. The objective is planet-friendly production of essential Eco-plastics and final disposal of unrecyclable plastic by burial as a form of long-term carbon storage. Current practice of dealing with waste plastic is recycling (not all plastic is recyclable), disposal by incineration (CO2 emissions, hazardous combustion by-products), chemical reforming (e.g. synthetic fuels, etc.) and bio-degradation (possible micro-plastic residuals). A new paradigm is proposed, promoting the synthesis of Eco-plastics from CO2 from the air and hydrogen from water by electrolysis (or otherwise), polymerization into plastic resins for industrial use, collecting and compacting plastic products when they become waste, and disposing them as a way of long-term carbon storage, thus returning some of the carbon from fossil sources back into the ground. The key point is the availability of cheap electricity. Renewable sources of energy like the sun or the wind are strongly fluctuating. They result in surplus energy at peak hours and must have backup at production minima, which can be provided by the nuclear without a CO2 burden on the environment. Plastic production from electricity production peaks would make good use of this energy and help to stabilise the energy grids. Based on the experience of the team, our role in the scheme is to develop and optimize the system for the synthesis of plastic resins on a small scale. The know-how would be offered to external partners for application on industrial scale. Likewise, we would seek partners for the back-end of the process on super-compacting, canning and disposal of waste plastic. 88 Award announcement: Best innovation with commercial potential From 13:00 to 13:10 Moderator: Robert Blatnik, Senior Technology Manager | Spinnovator, Jožef Stefan Institute, Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation (CTT) Evaluation commission: Andreja Satran, Managing Director, ABC Accelerator Dr. Jeff Skinner, Executive Director, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, London Business School Dr. Jon Wulff Petersen, Director, Technology Transfer, Plougmann Vingtoft Robert Al, Head of Business development, TU/e Innovation lab, Eindhoven University of Technology (proxy member: Mark Cox, Knowledge Valorisation Officer, TU/e Innovation lab, Eindhoven University of Technology) ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNER The evaluation commission weighed all the criteria in the evaluation process and selected the winning teams. The second award of 500 Euro goes to the team members: Marija Vukomanovič, Srečo Škapin and Danilo Suvorov, coming from the Jožef Stefan Institute, for their technology: Contact-based, leaching-free antimicrobial textile »Silver-free, wearable germ protection«. The first award of 2000 Euro goes to the team members: Gregor Primc, Arijana Filipić, Rok Zaplotnik, Miran Mozetič, Ion Gutierrez-Aguirre, David Dobnik, Matevž Dular and Martin Petkovšek coming from Jožef Stefan Institute, National Institute of Biology and University of Ljubljana. In the opinion of the experts, the presented technologies of both teams bring value to society, have great potential to be brought to first customers and to be industrially scaled up. The qualified and passionate teams have key skills and knowledge for successful further development of the application which will bring value to the customers. Congratulations! 89 Award announcement: WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy From 13:10 to 13:20 Moderator: Marjeta Trobec, Spinout and Promotion Specialist, Jožef Stefan Institute, Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation (CTT) Evaluation commission members: Jeff Skinner, London School of Business Jon Wulff Petersen, TTO Ltd., Denmark Alojz Barlič, Slovenian intellectual property office (SIPO) ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNER WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy By celebrating the achievements of inventors, creators and innovative companies around the world, the World Intellectual Property Organisation Awards aim to help foster a culture in which innovation and creativity are encouraged and appreciated at every level of society. The WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy is awarding enterprises for their good practice to constantly and methodologically using the IP system in their business activities. Among the applications, the jury has decided to award Razvojni center eNeM Novi Materiali d. o. o. . Justification: Razvojni center eNeM Novi Materiali is actively cooperating with several public-research organisations. In the last ten years they have been developing new products based on public-research transfer. Those products also have suitable IP protection. The applicant has persuaded with the outstanding use of the IP system and activities to build public respect for IP via different public campaigns, mostly environment oriented and based on the newly developed products. And finally, they constantly and methodologically encourage the creativity and innovativeness among their staff. Congratulations! 90 Award announcement: WIPO Medal for Inventors From 15:20 to 15:30 Moderator: Marjeta Trobec, Spinout and Promotion Specialist, Jožef Stefan Institute, Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation (CTT) Evaluation commission members: Jeff Skinner, London School of Business Jon Wulff Petersen, TTO Ltd., Denmark Alojz Barlič, Slovenian intellectual property office (SIPO) ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNER WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy The WIPO Medal for Inventors is awarding Slovenian public researchers for their contribution to national wealth and development. The "WIPO Medal for Inventors" goes to Prof. Dr. Alenka Vesel. In the last decade she has gained several international patents, she is a cofounder of company Plasmadis and her IP has resulted in different products and services being brought to the market. Congratulations! 91 Research2Business meetings (R2B meetings) Parallel session from 9:00 – 13:00 Robert Premk, Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation, Jožef Stefan Institute About Traditional biannual Research2Business (R2B) meetings promote and encourage cooperation among researchers and/or representatives from research institutions and companies on the international level. Main focus is transfer of developed or in development technologies and techniques from research institutions in business processes of the companies, while searching for opportunities to develop new solutions for challenges the companies are facing in the business-as-usual activities, or to look for partners for different topics and calls. Course of event Distinguishing feature of Research2Business meetings in the frame of 13th International Technology Transfer Conference was the completely virtual form of the meetings through the b2match platform. In the registration period between May and October 2020, 134 participants from universities, R&D institutions, companies, start-ups, associations submitted their interest to participate at the meetings. They were from 14 different countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Morocco, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and United Kingdom. Two sessions of meetings were organized between 9 AM and 1 PM (CEST), where scheduled duration of each meetings was 20 minutes. In total 51 meetings were held, where registered participants could attend the meetings from their office with their computer, laptop or other devices with camera, microphone and connection to the internet. In both sessions more than 13 hours of conversations were held, with average length of each meeting at around 15 minutes. The meeting with the longest duration lasted for 23 minutes and 39 seconds. Although the format of this year edition of meetings was virtual instead of physical one, the participation exceeded expectations and attendance from previous years, while statistics and feedback already confirms that this type of meetings can provide excellent opportunity for individualized and thorough conversation between representatives of research and/or business community. 92 Day 2 93 CONFERENCE CEREMONY 94 Overview of the Conference Ceremony 9 October 2020 Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia Location: Main Lecture room at the Jožef Stefan Institute (A-building) 11:30 – 11:35 Musical performance 11:35 – 11:40 Welcome speech Prof. Dr. Jadran Lenarčič Director of Jožef Stefan Institute 11:40 – 11:50 Opening speech Dr. Jure Gašparič, State Secretary of Ministry of Education, Science and Sport 11:50 – 11:55 Greetings Prof. Dr. Mojca Ciglarič Chair of the Programme Committee of IS2020 Dean of Faculty of Computer and Information Science 11:55 – 12:10 Awards of IS2020 Prof. Dr. Mojca Ciglarič, IS Programme Chair Prof. Dr. Matjaž Gams, IS Organization Chair Prof. Dr. Stane Pejovnik, Slovenia Academy of Engineering Prof. Dr. Nikolaj Zimic, AMC Slovenia President Prof. Dr. Sašo Džeroski, SLAIS President Dr. Mark Pleško , President of Slovenian Academy of Engineering Niko Schlamberger, President of Slovenian Society Informatika Robert Blatnik, M. Sc., Member of 13. ITTC Organizing Committee: - Award for the best innovation with commercial potential in 2020 - WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy - WIPO Medal for Inventors 12:10 – 12:15 Musical performance 95 13. ITTC Award Speech Robert Blatnik, Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation, Jožef Stefan Institute Marjeta Trobec, Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation, Jožef Stefan Institute The award for “The best Innovation with commercial potential from a public research organisation in 2020 with the award fund of 2.500 Euro goes to two teams: 500 Euro award goes to the team members: Marija Vukomanovič, Srečo Škapin and Danilo Suvorov, coming from the Jožef Stefan Institute, for their technology: Contact-based, leaching-free antimicrobial textile »Silver-free, wearable germ protection«. 2000 Euro award goes to the team members: Gregor Primc, Arijana Filipić, Rok Zaplotnik, Miran Mozetič, Ion Gutierrez-Aguirre, David Dobnik, Matevž Dular and Martin Petkovšek coming from Jožef Stefan Institute, National Institute of Biology and University of Ljubljana. The presented technologies of both teams bring value to society, have a great potential to be brought to first customers and to be industrially scaled up. The qualified and passionate teams have key skills and knowledge for successful further development of the application which will bring value to the customers. We congratulate the awarded team and invite the team representatives to accept the award. By celebrating the achievements of inventors, creators and innovative companies around the world, the WIPO Awards aim to help foster a culture in which innovation and creativity are encouraged and appreciated at every level of society. The evaluation committee for the WIPO Awards consisted of Dr. Jeff Skinner, Dr. Jon Wulff Petersen and Mr. Alojz Barlič from the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office. The WIPO Medal for Inventors is awarding Slovenian public researchers for their contribution to national wealth and development. The "WIPO Medal for Inventors" goes to Prof. Dr. Alenka Vesel. In the last decade she has gained several international patents, she is a cofounder of company Plasmadis and her IP has resulted in different products and services being brought to the market. The WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy is awarding enterprises for their good practice to constantly and methodologically using the IP system in their business activities. Among the applications, the jury has decided to award Razvojni center eNeM Novi Materiali d. o. o. . Razvojni center eNeM Novi Materiali is actively cooperating with more than 5 public-research organisations. In the last ten years they have developed several new products that have IP protection and are based on public-research transfer. They have persuaded also with the outstanding use of the IP system and activities to build public respect for IP. Congratulations to all of the awardees! 96 Indeks avtorjev / Author index Bučar Maja ................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Dolenec Rok ................................................................................................................................................................................. 33 Fric Urška ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 43 Gselman Peter .............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Khvorostyanaya Anna Sergeevna................................................................................................................................................. 47 Kobe Spomenka ........................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Korošec Tamara ........................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Kozole Blaž .................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Krajnc Mitja ................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Lipnik Aleš ................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Mrak Matej ................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Pal Levin ................................................................................................................................................................................ 15, 53 Pestotnik Rok ............................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Pestotnik Stres Svit....................................................................................................................................................................... 60 Podmiljšak Benjamin ................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Primc Gregor ................................................................................................................................................................................ 24 Recek Nina ................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Rupnik Maja ................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Seljak Andrej ................................................................................................................................................................................ 33 Štrancar Janez ............................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Stres Špela .............................................................................................................................................................................. 15, 38 Šturm Sašo ................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Tomić Starc Nina ......................................................................................................................................................................... 43 Tomše Tomaž ............................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Xu Xuan ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Žužek Rožman Kristina ................................................................................................................................................................ 29 97 98 Indeks avtorjev nerecenziranih prispevkov v dodatku / Index of authors of unreviewed contributions in the appendix Blatnik Robert ............................................................................................................................................................ 75, 77, 80, 96 Bohre Ashish ................................................................................................................................................................................ 85 Cmok Luka ................................................................................................................................................................................... 87 Dobnik David ............................................................................................................................................................................... 86 Dular Matevž ................................................................................................................................................................................ 86 Filipić Arijana .............................................................................................................................................................................. 86 Grilc Miha .................................................................................................................................................................................... 85 Gutierrez Aguirre Ion ................................................................................................................................................................... 86 Justin Tomaž .......................................................................................................................................................................... 75, 77 Kosec Gregor ............................................................................................................................................................................... 84 Likozar Blaž ........................................................................................................................................................................... 85, 88 Merše Stane .................................................................................................................................................................................. 88 Mozetič Miran .............................................................................................................................................................................. 86 Ocepek Martin .............................................................................................................................................................................. 85 Osterman Natan ............................................................................................................................................................................ 87 Petelin Andrej ............................................................................................................................................................................... 87 Petkovšek Martin.......................................................................................................................................................................... 86 Pitako Miha ............................................................................................................................................................................ 75, 77 Premk Robert ............................................................................................................................................................................... 92 Primc Gregor ................................................................................................................................................................................ 86 Škapin Srečo ................................................................................................................................................................................. 83 Slak Jure ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 84 Snoj Luka ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 88 Steinbücher Miha ......................................................................................................................................................................... 85 Stres Špela ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Suvorov Danilo ............................................................................................................................................................................ 83 Trkov Andrej ................................................................................................................................................................................ 88 Trobec Marjeta ............................................................................................................................................................................. 96 van Elteren Johannes T. ............................................................................................................................................................... 88 Venturini Peter ............................................................................................................................................................................. 85 Vukomanović Marija .................................................................................................................................................................... 83 Zaplotnik Rok ............................................................................................................................................................................... 86 99 IS 13. Mednarodna konferenca o prenosu tehnologij • 13. ITTC 13th International Technology Transfer Conference • 13 ITTC 20 Špela Stres, Robert Blatnik 20 Document Outline Naslovnica-sprednja-E 02 - Naslovnica - notranja - E 03 - Kolofon - E 04, 05 - IS2020 - Predgovor & Odbori 07 - Kazalo - E 08 - Naslovnica podkonference - E 09 - Predgovor podkonference - E 10 - Programski odbor podkonference - E 01 - A decade of knowledge transfer in Slovenia_StresPal_final_PDF 02 - Patents on plasma treatments in agriculture_PrimcRecekPDF 03 - Rare Earth-based Permanent Magnets_Zuzek_A4_PDF 04 - Real-time fluorescence lifetime acquisition system_Pestotnik_PDF 05 - Regulated toxicity-testing_Strancar_PDF 06 - Status quo of computer-implemented inventions in Slovenia and EU_Fric_PDF 07 - Strategic intellectual property management system_KhvorostyanAnna_PDF 08 - Strategic research and innovation partnerships_BucarLipnik_PDF 09 - The awareness on environmental protection issues_Pal_PDF 10 - Transfer of knowledge and skills in STEM_Pestotnik Stres_PDF 11_A - Dodatek - E 12 - Index - E 12 - Index - Dodatek - E Blank Page Blank Page Blank Page Blank Page Blank Page Blank Page Blank Page