International Tech transfer cooperation some thoughts based on recent attempt

1. INTERNATIONAL TECH TRANSFER COOPERATION
SOME THOUGHTS BASED ON RECENT ATTEMPT
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL

2. THE CASE
 Case participants:
 Leading Russian technical university tech transfer department
 Leading Israeli university tech transfer company (fully owned by the
university)
 RVC international office
 The Logic behind the attempt (from RVC International office side –
acting as a matchmaker):
 Leading Israeli university has significant experience in tech transfer
 Tech transfer is a source of significant income for the university
 Russian university has created large body of knowledge, that if
commercialised properly, can be of great value, both as source of
income and as a pathway for internationalisation of Russian
knowledge based companies
 Through creating a JV between the institutions, we will create an
efficient commercialisation body that will facilitate knowledge
exchange and will make money for both institutions
April 15PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL 2

3. 3
THE RESULT
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL April 15
 As a result of long negotiation, several meetings and visits, an
MOU was signed
 When both sides tried to exercise the agreed activities, despite of
tons of good will on both sides,
nothing came out of it

4. WHY?
4PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL April 15
“Soft factors”
 Lack of expectations alignment
 Expectations on the Russian side:
 The Israelis know how to sell, it almost doesn't matter what we will
send their way, they will sell
 The money will arrive quickly (within year or two)
 Expectations on the Israeli side
 We will get projects/companies/IP in a shape and form we used to
deal with
 Different motivation structures between the partnering parties
“Real issues”
 Different IP protection practises
 Language skills and cultural gap
 Lack of commercially motivated external mediator