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I would like to use the occasion and respond to Günther’s remark on the phenomenon that everyone talks about technology transfer (”TT”), but still it is hard to find results.

Günther writes that actually TT is “NOT an issue – at least if one googles the term and looks at the results (…) surely there’s a lot of institutions promoting it, and the EC funds projects …”.

Being familiar with the EU policy and the focus of FP7 and other funding programmes, one could argue that public institutions really do promote technology transfer. I am sure technology transfer is indeed an issue. I guess the people actually DOING technology transfer only have a different understanding about it, they have different perspectives than the people TALKING about TT. Last, but not least, they do not publish their projects using terms of technology transfer etc.

So as Günther says it is probably just a matter of (non) marketing: “Universities are still very reluctant to publish about themselves, success stories are rare, and companies do not consider such news worth while publishing”. Anyway, marketing is not the only problem, there are of course always reasons and possibilities to improve things. Continue reading ‘Technology Transfer and FP7′

Technology transfer is a complex process. The supporting online solutions should be  clear and precise, user friendly and efficient. The IT industry offers a range of products which could offer various solutions. Technology transfer solution should provide an collaboration platform, utilising databases  in stand-alone  or client/server modes.

Two groups of products and services offer appropriate solutions:

External services – provided by an external company such as ISPs (internet service providers), by enhanced product portfolio with business communication and administrative functions.

Applications and solutions to be implemented into corporate IT infrastructures. I will now examine a handful of these solutions, including the platform we have adopted for our project (CITT) which is called the Central European Technology Exchange (CETEX).

Continue reading ‘Potential technical solutions for Technology Transfer processes’

As mentioned by Petr Chladek in his post one of the regional innovation strategy projects in South Moravia is the Innovation vouchers (in Czech only) scheme supporting the research cooperation between SMEs and Brno universities. It has been started in August and the applications can be submitted until September, 25. Any Czech SME can get one of 36 vouchers valued up to 150k CZK (€ 6,000) for buying research services from Brno based universities.

Product, process or service development, testing and measurements, feasibility study, access to research facilities, prototyping, product design, innovative product business plan development, market analysis or marketing strategy, innovation or technology audit are the examples of proposals that can be supported by the vouchers if you find a university partner to realize them for you.
Continue reading ‘South Moravia is introducing innovation vouchers’

This is a blog, so I dare to post what I would call meta-critizism, i.e. I would like to review the content of this blog.

Originally this blog was supposed to be a forum for ICT related technology transfer. This is a complex issue, I know, as I am also responsible for providing relevant news for the CITT website etc. And – I also wrote about deviating issues – simply because they were also interesting.

Technology transfer is not only a complex issue, it is NOT an issue – at least if one googles the term and looks at the results. Well, maybe I am exaggerating – surely there’s a lot of institutions promoting it, and the EC funds projects – one of them is CITT. Continue reading ‘A bit of a cleanup…’

A few weeks ago Microsoft launched its new search engine called Bing. With this new service Microsoft tries to compete with the market leader in search, Google.

The competition is somewhat resembles Internet Explorer vs. Netscape, MSN vs. ICQ or XBox against Playstation.

Nowadays, the advertising campaign is over and idle curiosity isn’t enough’to bring new users. Bing will only be able to win market share if it is significantly better than Google.

Bing’s screen layout is nice, giving wonderful background pictures. But to be successful, Bing needs to be a very good search engine, too. Continue reading ‘Bing? Bang!’

A former colleague tipped me off to a conference that might be of interest to some of you. The Second International Symposium on Global Information Governance (ISGIG) Conflict and Collaboration in Compliance, Governance and Risk takes place in Prague on 15-17 September 2009.

The Internet of the Future is the theme of ISGIG 2009. Specifically, its goal is to improve communication among academics, regulators, compliance officers, business managers and IT managers by exposing problems, and uncovering potential problems, in the areas of privacy, compliance, governance, and risk. Each of these issues creates situations for both conflict and cooperation among different constituencies.

The early registration deadline is Saturday, 15 August, 2009.

The full agenda is available on the conference website.

Comment on Robert Nemeth’s question “Can Centrope profit from the Chinese recovery?“ below.

China has been impressing analysts and and the rest of the world  since the start of its economic redirection almost 30 years ago. But there have always been warning voices, on malevolent copyright and technology theft on one hand, on bubble based growth on the other.

I have always been in favour of stronger links between Europe and China – simply for strategic reasons: Of the three (or maybe four, including India) superpowers China is Europe’s best choice, despite neglecting human rights etc. (The others are not better in this respect.) Continue reading ‘China: Yes, but carefully’

The IMF recently published its latest World Economic Outlook Update. The forecasts are not surprising:  “The global economy is beginning to pull out of a recession unprecedented in the post–World War II era, but stabilization is uneven and the recovery is expected to be sluggish.”

However the situtation is different in China, which is expecting 7.5 % growth in 2009 and 8.5 % in 2010.

Data source: IMF / Chart: PBN

While the output in the Euro area is expected to be -4,8 % in 2009 and still negative in 2010, the Chinese economy is recovering very fast, reaching as high values as in 2007.

How can we profit from this Chinese growth here in Central Europe?

I received numerous requests for a free Yahoo Analytics account, following my last post. Receptional originally offered me just two accounts for nowEurope readers, but they liked the response so much they decided to extend that offer.

Unfortunately, Receptional have already run out of free accounts for July (Yahoo provides a monthy quota to their web analytics consultants). If you want to claim your account, you need to hit this page early in August.

Apparently, the service is in beta while Yahoo upgrades its server infrastructure to meet the anticipated demand of free, real-time web analytics. When I was a part of Indextools (now Yahoo Web Analytics) back in 2005, we all watched with glee as Google’s free analytics service collapsed under the unexpectedly high demand. I haven’t seen any announcement, but presumably YWA will be launched to the public this Fall.

As many of you already know, I used to work at Indextools before they were acquired by Yahoo and rebranded Yahoo Analytics. I haven’t used the service for some years, and so I decided to see if I could resurrect my old account and play around with it.

Unfortunately, I discovered I could not. I hadn’t replied to an earlier email asking me to agree to the new Yahoo terms and conditions. I also discovered that while Yahoo Analytics is free, the service is not yet open to the general public.

As luck would have it, my friends at Receptional were able to provide me with a new account. I knew them as a former Indextools partner. Under the new regime, Receptional will now be part of the Yahoo Web Analytics Consultants Network (coming soon).

Today might also be your lucky day, if you’re interested in having an advance peek at the new Yahoo Analytics.

Continue reading ‘Who wants to try Yahoo Analytics?’