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HEPI Conference: University Research and the Economy Developing Effective University and Industry Partnerships

HEPI Conference: University Research and the Economy Developing Effective University and Industry Partnerships. Prof David Maguire Vice-Chancellor 5 th December, 2012. Introduction. Difficult to generalise, but will try Perspective on R&D Case study: Esri

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HEPI Conference: University Research and the Economy Developing Effective University and Industry Partnerships

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  1. HEPI Conference: University Research and the EconomyDeveloping Effective University and Industry Partnerships Prof David Maguire Vice-Chancellor 5th December, 2012

  2. Introduction • Difficult to generalise, but will try • Perspective on R&D • Case study: Esri • Industry perspective on partnership • Myth buster

  3. Product Development Cycle Research Exploitation Development

  4. Esri: Software Product Company • Worldwide company, HQ California • $1.2bn revenue • +4500 (+600 product) staff • Develop and implement GIS software • Mobile, Desktop, Server, Cloud • Biggest research group in the GIS field • Outputs ‘published’ as software products

  5. Esri: Software Product Company • Innovation critical to success • Sources: industry, users, product teams • “Ideas are cheap, successful implementations count” • Never patented anything • Competitive advantage: ability to develop superior software faster than anyone else

  6. Successful R&D Collaboration • Researchers working with researchers, not researchers working with suits • Respect for talent • Focus is interesting (new) ideas and implementations • Requirement for openness • Need to keep bureaucracy in the background • Never do anything as a direct hire • Examples: • Microsoft SQL Server Application Server • Google Earth/Maps integration • NUI Maynooth implementation of Geographically-Weighted Regression

  7. Why Industry is Attracted to Universities • Specialist knowledge/equipment • Bandwidth • Creativity / catalytic capability • Independence, objectivity • Academic staff as thought leaders • Universities as a market • Educators of next generation

  8. Turn-Offs for Industry • Closed thinking • Wrangles over IP • Slow speed of response • Poor business development skills • Non-exclusivity

  9. A Note on University Perspective • Key focus • Knowledge creation and dissemination • Deliverables • Research outputs • Contributions to teaching • Consulting • Patents often a distraction and a net cost to sector • Too many think that obtaining a patent = success

  10. What Is Needed for Success • Opportunities for collaboration • Creative collisions • Sustained interactions • Concentration on the research, not the exploitation • Willingness to take risks • Investigations • Agreements • Collaborative spirit • Shared, non-exclusive IP model

  11. Some Myths • Universities do research, industry does exploitation • Academics are not business-aware • Industry doesn’t care about knowledge for its own sake and blue-skies, curiosity-driven research is the preserve of universities • Serious research can only occur in large research-intensive universities • Patents are the best way for universities to protect IP • Vanity projects

  12. Thank You!

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