Technology Transfer Project

The SAFIPA funded Technology Transfer Project is aimed at building capacity within the unit with regards to Intellectual Asset Management, and translating R&D outputs into impact.

The project falls within the CSIR Meraka Institute, which is an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) R&D unit of the CSIR that contributes towards the goal of making South Africa a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society.  The CSIR Meraka Institute facilitates national economic and social development through human capital development and needs-based research and innovation.

The project is lead by Nicki Koorbanally, Manager of the R&D Outcomes Portfolio at the Meraka Institute, with a team consisting of Thabo Mthombeni (Commercialisation Officer), Stephan Lamprecht (South African Innovation Expert) and Dr Kari Leppala (Finnish Innovation Expert). The R&D Outcomes office is an existing unit within the Meraka Institute with experienced and capable resources, with a current focus on creating awareness about the role and value of managing the Institute’s intellectual assets and ensuring that the relevant supporting infrastructure is in place to facilitate translation of assets into impact.

Most of the available support, literature and experience in South Africa relating to technology transfer pertains to engineering, science and technology type activities.  A key challenge for the office in its journey to increasing innovation output is to implement policies and processes that speak to the unique needs of a research unit dealing, to a large extent, with “intangible” assets such as software programmes, open source technologies, and technology packages aimed at social impact through ICT related research activities.

Objectives of the project

The overall objective of the SAFIPA funded project is to build capacity with regards to Intellectual Property Management and Technology Transfer activities in the unit through:

• Enhancing technology transfer and commercialisation capability and expertise within  the Meraka Institute;
• Enhancing the awareness and value of innovation management throughout the organisation;
• Providing leadership in the identification, development and application of new technologies/methodologies to support technology transfer;
• Knowledge management and dissemination of the technology transfer experiences  in a developing country perspective;
• Developing strategies, procedures and guidelines to build consensus and expedite decision making;
• Defining the process of innovation from conceptualising research programmes, managing an idea pipeline and taking these into the market; and
• Identifying incentive and reward programmes for researchers to move towards a culture of innovation.

Specific deliverables of the project include:

• Creation of a framework to manage, review and monitor the progress of technology transfer projects;
• Identify interventions and mechanisms for the Outcomes Unit to prioritise technology transfer  activities;
• Conducting relevant training and workshops with the aim of enhancing employees’ knowledge and understanding in the field of technology transfer management; and
• A Business Toolkit that contains resources and tools that will enable efficient and effective IP and technology management in future.

The toolkit includes  the following:

• Technology Transfer Manual
• Guidelines and checklists
• Templates
• Technology readiness tool
• Case studies
• Innovation Handbook

For more information, please contact Nicki Koorbanally, the R&D Outcomes Manager at the CSIR Meraka Institute, via email on nkoorbanally@csir.co.za, and telephonically on 012 8414532