1. Technology Transfer Center of the University of Lodz High-Tech Accelerator - Innovation Center Foundation of the University of Lodz
Bridging science and industry in the Lodz region, in Poland and internationally Building economy in the Lodz region and in Poland, based on innovation, high-technology and knowledge

2. Current organizational model
Past organization – two units of the University
Current organizational model
Foundation Innovation Center - Accelerator Univ.of Lodz

3. Background Main Partners 2003 - 2006
University of Texas at Austin
Austin Technology Incubator
IC2 Institute / Univ. of Texas
Ministry of Economy
Know-how transfer from UT to University of Lodz
And based on this know-how and cooperation:
Building within University of Lodz two new centers focused on:
tech-transfer, technology commercialization,
support for development innovative (and academic) entrepreneurship,
strengthening relations science – business,
education in the area of innovative business

4. Programs / Activity High-Tech Accelerator – Innovation Center

5. Regulations in Poland helping universities in cooperation with business and industry
According to the law – the IP rights to the innovations and technologies created at the universities belong to the universities…
… however Universities:
can share these rights and ownership
very often implement their own regulations (focus: sharing profits in case of commercialization, transferring technologies to start-up companies, selling university technologies to the industry)

6. Technology Transfer Office of the University of Lodz
Managing University of Lodz IP rights
Helping University to prepare and make internal regulations (… still in a process)
Communicating scientists with companies, „translating” the language of scientists („research”) into the language of business (usability of technology, market applications, level of innovation, …)
Organizing tech transfer for the university
Promoting IP protection, entrepreneurship based on innovation and high-tech (scientists, students); Educating
Managing the High-Tech Incubator of the Univ.of Lodz (both for academia and inventors from „outside”)
Helping Univ.of Lodz authorities in implementing technology commercialization (…partly implemented) and cooperation with business to the strategy of development of the university (… still in a process)

7. Commercial agreements
Tech Transfer Office of the UL IP Protection activity – services for Univ.of Lodz Projects and for the companies
Private inventors
Universities
Scientist
PhD
Students
Employee
agreements
University
agreements
Commercial agreements

8. Innovation Center – High-Tech Accelerator The Foundation of the University of Lodz
Foundation is more focused on business activity, more outside of the University, while TTO more focused on education and in-University activity
Cooperating with business and industry
Commercial activity: advisory in building innovative business, searching funding (cooperation with Venture Capital / seed capital funds)
Undertaking activity on the regional level – in tech transfer, R&D and business cooperation etc.
Undertaking activity on the international level – in tech transfer, R&D and business cooperation etc.

9. Our Support & Programs for
University of Lodz scientists, students and graduates
Inventors, individuals and teams planning to start an innovative company
New and young companies operating in high-tech sector
Small, medium size and micro companies implementing their own innovation or searching for innovation, partner, access to market in Poland and abroad
R&D Institutes and universities planning to commercialize the results of research work and technologies
Focus on the people and institutions in the Lodz region,
Also operating in Poland and abroad

10. Programs / Activity The commercial and market potential evaluation of technology and innovation
Commercial potential estimation methods
The Analysis and verification of the market potential
Commercialization strategy development
Business plans development
Specialist groups
Train teams to the commercialization potential review
Show the procedures in a theme of commercialization
Support in the report development to harness in the next commercialization levels
Creativity evaluation
Indication on new solutions and use – recommendations to the customer
Technology level / creativity level
Additional benefits resulting from use
Customers: for example: Investment Funds (Polish/mixed capital – seed capital/VC funds planning investment in high-tech, environment protection sector companies, Polish Agency for Entrepreneurship Development, Jagiellonian University, Technical Univ.of Lodz, others

11. Programs / Activity Master of Science in Science and Technology Commercialization
Study specialization – innovations and advanced technologies, commercialization, know-how transfer
Studies licensed byTexas University at Austin to Univ.of Lodz
Participants meet technology review methods developed in NASA and Texas University at Austin
4 editions of studies in – participants: 40 companies, 25 research institutions or science-technological parks, individuals
Trainings, seminaries, workshops – theme: innovations and advanced technologies

12. Programs / Activity High-Tech & Innovation Incubator
OFFER for Innovators, Scientists
From University of Lodz and other universities,
And other Inventors
And for New Companies (Start-up, Spin-off)
Incubator - Advisory services:
Evaluation of innovation and market
Business plan and Commercialization plan
Strategy for product/service development, for company
IP protection
Experts, Contacts
Access to markets, among others US market (in cooperation with Univ.of Texas University team)
Matching innovation and technology with investors / Business Angels, Venture Capital/ Private Equity , Seed Capital Funds
University of Lodz students – support of students for start-up companies
Lowering the risk connected with commercialization
Increasing credibility of young/new companies
Plus advisory for SME in the above mentioned areas

13. Programs / Activity Partners Matching Science – Business / Industry in Poland and abroad
OFFER FOR
Polish companies and R&D centers / institutes,
Searching partners for technology commercialization,
Searching access to markets – through partnership
Searching technologies for industry
Example scenarios of cooperation: Distribution, Services, Licensing, Joint venture; R&D joint venture; Outsourcing, …
ROLE of Accelerator – Innovation Center:
Due diligence
Strategy
Offer preparation, business model
Negotiations
Lowering mental and business and cultural differencies between countries

14. Programs / Current Activity Examples of partnership on the level of the Lodz region
Active partner in clusters on the regional level:
Media Cluster – since November 2007 (film industry, movie production and education, cooperation between SME’s and academia/ Univ.of Lodz, High School of Movie and Theatre and local city of Lodz an regional authorities)
Working on the UE project, inter-regional cooperation, dedicated to developing media sectors in selected areas of the EU
Focus on promotion of the av-industry, development of the av-industry in the region, building of the model of managing of the media cluster and testing and implementing this model in the Lodz region Media Cluster
Partner in building Incubator of Culture and Art in Lodz – since December 2007
Sharing our experience in building and developing incubators
Sharing contacts and best practices
Helping in building educational programs

15. Programs / Current Activity Examples of partnership on the level of the Lodz region
Program of Partners Matching Lodz region - Texas, USA
in the field of Biotechnology and Pharmacy & Nanotechnology – since 2008
Building the program of cooperation of universities and companies form Lodz region (and Poland) with the US partners – mainly from the Texas area
Areas of cooperation: R&D, clinical trials, drug discovery, small lot manufacturing, drug manufacturing, compounds manufacturing (lab quantities)
Role of our center – managing of the program, searching partners in the Univ.of Lodz and other universities in the region, searching and matching business partners in Lodz region and in Poland, helping in building partnership
Cooperation with the Technopark Lodz (regional science and technology park)
Our Incubator as the „pre-incubator” for the companies which will continue development in the Lodz Technopark

16. Programs / Current Activity Example of using national programs for development of regional scientific projects Program „Initiative for Technology”
Initiative for Technology – 2007 Government Program aiming at implementation of research results to industry. Run by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education
participants: Universities, scientific units, research and development centers and institutes, in cooperation with industry companies
participants apply for financing for scientific research on the condition that they have an industry partner declaring to implement the research results, the Program puts stress on the implementation of the R&D results
our role was to identify potential participants in academic environment, provide advisory on how to participate in the program, and support them in preparing application by carrying out the business analysis of the project viability
two universities we helped write business plans of the projects received financing, one grant was million PLN (ca USD 1 mln)

17. Programs / Current Activity Example of stimulating and supporting innovative entrepreneurship in the Lodz region
Competition for Innovative Ideas (2006, 2007, planned – 2008)
Especially for micro-companies, start-ups, spin-offs
In cooperation with funding institutions, like venture capital and seed capital funds, business angel organizations, which want to invest in high-tech „young” business
In cooperation with the local authorities (city of Lodz, regional authorities)
In cooperation with the Technopark Lodz
In 2007 – 60 applications of innovative businesses, mostly students and graduates, some scientists, some inventors from outside of academia
Third edition of the Competition – in 2008

18. Support for science and business in all stages of technology/innovation commercialization process, starting with idea, … until implementation or starting new company
Technology and market evaluation – for innovations, technologies, companies
Advisory in technology commercialization, etc.
Trainings, workshops, post-graduate studies
Funding for innovation and technology, start-ups and SMEs
Experts network (science, business; Poland, abroad)
Partners matching (science, business; Poland, abroad)

19. Sources of funding for the activity of High-Tech Accelerator – Innovation Center
American-Polish offset program University of Lodz – University of Texas at Austin – (funded by the Ministry of Economy)
EU Funds, ex.:
7 Framework Program
Operational Programs for Poland
Operational Programs for Poland
University of Lodz budget (Tech Transfer Office)
Ministry of Science programs, ex. supporting academic entrepreneurship
Ministry of Economy programs, ex. supporting academic entrepreneurship
Commercial activity (Tech Transfer Office, The Foundation): advisory services (tech transfer in Poland and internationally, trainings and post-graduate studies, incubator, research, etc.)

20. 90-237 Łódź, ul. J.Matejki 22/26, POLAND
We are ready to share our experience and to learn more ! Open for cooperation 
Ewa Postolska Dariusz Trzmielak
Maria Głowacka
Innovation Center - High-Tech Accelerator Technology Transfer Office
the Foundation of the University of Lodz of the University of Lodz
Łódź, ul. J.Matejki 22/26, POLAND
tel.: +48 (42) tel.: +48 (42)
tel.: +48 (42) fax: +48 (42)
fax: +48 (42)