Valencian universities promote the transfer of technology to startups

The Llamp Tech Transfer OpenLab programme, an initiative promoted by the I2CV Association (made up of the Universitat Politècnica de València, the Universitat de València and the Valencian Biochemistry Institute, among others) and Startup Valencia, along with the support of the General Directorate for Entrepreneurship at the Department of Sustainable Economy of the Generalitat Valenciana, has recently concluded resulting in six projects capable of transforming strategic sectors of the Valencian industry and economy through the integration of Valencian universities’ technology expertise.

The aim of the initiative is to identify talent and knowledge that has been generated and trained in universities, and to assess whether it is a good fit for companies that provide product or services solutions with high added value, embedded in the priorities of the Research and Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategy, to improve the productivity, competitiveness and social welfare of the Valencian Community.

With this in mind, the programme was carried out over the course of various phases that had training and personalised mentoring as pillars to transform these resources and business ideas into proposals with social and economic impact.

Participants in Llamp Tech Transfer OpenLab were advised by specialists in each of the areas necessary for the consolidation of a successful company: project management, business models, legal and regulatory aspects, finance and funding, business development, sales, communication and leadership.

The programme is part of the Llamp programme of the Regional Ministry of Economy and in line with the objective of Startup Valencia’s Tech Transfer Committee to link science to business, made up of José Capmany, Andreu Climent, Narcís Cardona, Fernando Conesa, Patricia Pastor and Iñaki Berenguer, key figures with national and international experience in the field. The committee is coordinated by Judith Saladrigas, Secretary of Startup Valencia and Partner of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at DWF-RCD, and José Sepúlveda, Director of I2CV Association, both of them members of the committee.

In addition to the training and support from experts, participants were also able to showcase their solutions and connect with different agents of the international ecosystem of tech and innovation entrepreneurship at Valencia Digital Summit, the region’s flagship event in the sector that was held at the City of Arts and Sciences from the 25th to the 26th of October, where they had a stand.

The Demo Day, which took place on the 10th of November, brought the programme to a close with the presentation of the projects, three of them from the Universitat Politècnica de València and three from the Universitat de València, in which the advances made as a result of the programme were set forth. This event was attended by Teresa García, General Director of Entrepreneurship and Cooperativism at the Generalitat Valenciana, who explained the importance of technology transfer within the framework of public strategy and highlighted the success of this programme,emphasizing the critical role of Valencian universities’ technology in these achievements.

Selected projects in the programme

ARGOS: Sensors able to detect and characterise passing vehicles.
AVICEMIS: Test automation services and equipment for simple animal models and on-chip cell cultures aimed at the food industry and research centres, making the process more efficient.
Tweenvest: An algorithm that calculates hundreds of ratios and multiples to reduce the analysis burden on companies looking to make investments, saving the user time and effort when making a decision.
Bi-Add: Production, development and commercialisation of bismuth-based materials as additives for energy storage applications, which are beneficial in the production of lithium-ion batteries.
Magas: Dual imaging system for clinical use in both tumour biopsy guidance and oncological diagnoses in general, in order to achieve more reliable results.
Albufera-Non Conventional Synthesis: Mesoporous silica nanomaterials and the provision of specialised services for the manufacturing of high-tech materials, incorporating synthesis efficiencies.