Commercialization guidelines –
NanoCom and ProNano results
Dr. Eeva Viinikka, Business Director
Programme Director of National Nanotechnology Cluster Programme
Culminatum Innovation Ltd Oy
www.nanobusiness.fi, www.nanocluster.fi
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GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE
Commercialization guidelines
o The barriers and best practices in commercializing nanotechnologies
o Web-based survey with >250 companies, 30 +30 interviews
o Commercializing related coarching for nano start ups
o Promotions of nanotech companies along the industrial value chains
o Fast growth in nanotech business during the last 3 years
GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE
The success factors in commercializing nanotech
1. Focus in business point of view
 Marketing, strategy, team, customer contacts, IPR
 Market opportunities, scalability, costs, ROI
 Business model
2. Organized in-house innovation activities
 R&D project management
3. Utilizing local support
 Technology support
 Business support
4. Collaborations; research and companies
 Other companies in R&D phase
5. Focus in establishing the production
– Efficiency, reliability, reproducibility, early planning
6. Taking care of funding issues
7. Getting prepared to tackle the insecurities
Identifying
the best
of commercializing nano
GATEWAY
TOpractices
FINNISH EXPERTISE
www.nanocom-eu.org
Success factor no 1:
Focus in business point of view
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Business strategy
Market opportunities
Discussion with customers
Marketing: focus on added value, not on nano
Production: scalability, costs, ROI
IPR
The team’s business skills
Consider including services in the business model
Success factors focus in business vs statistics on >250 companies
• Recognized as key success factors by the companies
• Source of competitive advance
• Result strongly supported by 30 interviews
Identifying
the best
of commercializing nano
GATEWAY
TOpractices
FINNISH EXPERTISE
www.nanocom-eu.org
4
Recommendation
From “solution looking for a problem”
to differentiation and added value to a customer
• In case of “ a solution looking for a problem”
– analyze potential applications
– contact potential end users
• In case of “a solution to many problems”
– Identify application that differentiates and provides the highest
added value for potential customers
– focus on it
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GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE
Success factor 2:
organize your in-house innovation activities
o Key success factor: R&D project management
 KSF especially for SMEs and companies in R&D phase
 Also one of the key BARRIERS
Success factor In-house innovation activities vs statistics on 278 companies
• Statistically significant correlation with success
• Source of competitive advance
• Recognized as success factors by companies
• Result supported by interviews
Identifying
the best
of commercializing nano
GATEWAY
TOpractices
FINNISH EXPERTISE
www.nanocom-eu.org
6
Success factor no 3:
Utilize local support
Local support provides you competitive advance,
once the basic needs have been satisfied.
Local support means
o tech support: incubators, R&D facilities, technology centers
o business support: development agencies, networks, clusters
Success factor local support vs statistics on >250 companies
• Statistically significant correlation with success
• Sources for competitive advance
• Recognized as success factors by companies
• US companies rely on strong local business support in R&D phase.
Identifying
the best
of commercializing nano
GATEWAY
TOpractices
FINNISH EXPERTISE
www.nanocom-eu.org
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Recommendation
The current tech transfer is pretty ok
• the most efficient to identify potential commercialization projects.
but…
• Often public bodies, closely linked with public research institutions;
• often lacking a clear commercial perspective
to make TT even better
• improve access to commercial and financial advisory services
• combine local TT offices and innovation consultants for
commercialization support process.
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GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE
Success factor no 4:
Collaborate, utilize open innovation
The successful ones appreciate all collaborations!
R&D phase success factors:
o external knowledge
o open innovation
o collaborations with especially other companies!
Success factor Collaborations vs statistics on >250 companies
• Statistically significant correlation with success
• Sources for competitive advance
• Recognized as success factors by companies
Identifying
the best
of commercializing nano
GATEWAY
TOpractices
FINNISH EXPERTISE
www.nanocom-eu.org
9
Recommendation
From proof of concept
to proof of industrial performance
Proof of concept is not enough to make business. Industries need to
know technical and economic performance in real industrial conditions
Need pilot applications at industrial scale:
o collaborative demonstration or scaling-up project
o Interested industrial licensee
Success factors for production:
o efficiency, reproducibility, reliability,
o early planning of production process
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GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE
Recommendation
From selling nanotech to VC’s to
partnerships with corporate investors
o Instead of VC, consider corporate investor from the targeted market
 Includes the opportunity to learn true client needs
o If you still go for VC, focus on market opportunities, not on nano
European VC see no nano specific issues in what’s attractive
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Strong management team
Strong business model enabling a suitable exit
50% of VCs: strong IP
Interest in very early stage start-ups = strong scientific team
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GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE
How to tackle with commercialization barriers
already in project building phase?
Barrier 1: Acceptability
o Create EHS and LCA strategies an communicate it
Barrier 2: Competition
o Study potential customers and current solutions
Barrier 3: reproducibility, reliability, efficiency
o Consider production process already in R&D phase
o Team with industrial production design skills?
Barrier 4: Organized absorption of external knowledge
o Networking with the experts and potential customers
Barrier 5: R&D project management
o There is a difference between university research and
industrial R&D management… you can learn it.
Identifying
the best
of commercializing nano
GATEWAY
TOpractices
FINNISH EXPERTISE
www.nanocom-eu.org
Thinking about commercial outcome already in
project building phase?
Engage
• Industrial players of the potential value chain
• VC or end user industries for investments
• IP experts
• Industrial production (process) design know-how
• Business support (yes, already in R&D phase!)
Consider the steps after the project
• Funding for the closer-to-market activities? National?
• Business model? Licensing, start-ups?
• Local innovations support networks!
Identifying
the best
of commercializing nano
GATEWAY
TOpractices
FINNISH EXPERTISE
www.nanocom-eu.org
13
Finnish nanotechnology based business has
been growing fast!
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The number of nanotech companies has trippled within 3 years
Nanocluster’s role in the growth
practical, customer oriented information on the opportunities, added value
and implementation to several different industrial sectors and public sector
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GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE
The success factors; national point of view?
Simultaneous & parallel support of all public players
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Infrastructure investments: Ministry of education and science
Basic research: FinNano program of Academy of Finland
Applied research: FinNano & Functional materials of Tekes
Long term funding for the best: Centres of excellence in research
Commercialization: Tekes TULI funding, FinNano, Nanocluster
Skilled labour: Graduate Schools, networked
Industrial R&D: FinNano & Functional materials programs of Tekes
Cohesion within the nano community: FinNano, Nanocluster
Domestic promotions to potential user clusters: Nanocluster
International promotions: Nanotech Finland: Nanocluster & Tekes
Growth: Tekes Young innovative enterprises funding
Industry point of view: private sector participates & advices
External resources: private service providers’ expertise utilized
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GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE
Thank you for your attention!
Oulu
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nanotech based business, reaching >90%
of Finnish nanotech activities.
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o Neutral information
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GATEWAY TO FINNISH EXPERTISE