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The value of engaging with industry A researchers perspective Professor Alison Stewart

The value of engaging with industry A researchers perspective Professor Alison Stewart. Outline. NZ Context Alison’s story Insights gained Recommendations. What it was like 20 years ago. Poor communication Naive researchers Naive industry Poor business oversight. NZ Context.

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The value of engaging with industry A researchers perspective Professor Alison Stewart

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  1. The value of engaging with industry A researchers perspective Professor Alison Stewart

  2. Outline • NZ Context • Alison’s story • Insights gained • Recommendations

  3. What it was like 20 years ago • Poor communication • Naive researchers • Naive industry • Poor business oversight

  4. NZ Context • Low level of RS&T funding • Benefits to NZ • Poor commercialisation of research

  5. NZ Context • Competition versus collaboration

  6. Alison’s story • Arrived in NZ in1985 • Plant pathologist • Biocontrol of plant diseases using beneficial microbes • Industry/business partnerships

  7. Business partnerships • Grand Perfect • April Asia • Becker Underwood • Marrone Bio-innov. • Terrenew • Bayer Crop Sciences • Agrimm Technologies • NuFarm NZ Ltd • Zelam NZ Ltd • South Pacific Seeds • PGG Wrightsons • P.F. Olsen Ltd • The Tree Lab

  8. Research and Development strategy Research focus Industry problem Business partner Prototype product Industry problem Research focus Business partner Prototype product Agri-Business Agri-Business

  9. Achievements/successes • Research collaborations • Postgraduate students • Publications • Business partnerships • Products • Outcomes for industry

  10. Trichoderma Biocontrol • Soil-borne saprophytic fungus • Wide ecological niche • Multiple mechanisms of action - antibiosis, • parasitism, competition, growth promotion, • induced plant resistance • Excellent candidate for biocontrol

  11. Onion White Rot • Sclerotium cepivorum • Trichoderma atroviride LU132 • Rhizosphere competent/6PAP • 60-70% disease control

  12. Sclerotinia Lettuce Drop • Trichoderma hamatum 6SR4 • Parasite • Nutrient competition

  13. Trichoderma atroviride • Biocontrol of Botrytis in grapes and tomatoes • Wettable powder formulation • Organic - Bio-Gro certified

  14. Commercialisation Pathway • Identify product opportunity/market analysis • Develop BCA blueprint • Identify a bioactive/initial screening • Initial proof of concept (IP protection) • Mode of action studies/population ecology • Business partnership – prototype product • Field scale testing • Optimisation/formulation/application • Commercial scale testing • Registration

  15. Insights gained • Many scientists have no business background • Company structure • Financial imperatives • Business decisions • Know your client – gain business knowledge

  16. Insights gained • New projects - Business case • commercial milestones • selecting business partner too soon • which business partner to choose • Large versus small • NZ versus International

  17. Insights gained • Bright ideas • Research • Commercialisation

  18. Insights gained • Publish or perish • Provisional patent • Extra time/effort/money • Hard on postdocs • Incentive/added value • Managing workload

  19. Benefits of engaging with industry • Targeted research to deliver an outcome • Upskilled in wider range of activities • More career options for young researchers • Wider range of funding opportunities • Widens your perspective

  20. Disadvantages • Extra work/stress – pressure to meet deadlines • Can limit ability to explore intellectual curiosity • More doing – less time for thinking • Can create a linear mindset

  21. What motivates researchers • Private R&D companies • CRI’s • Universities

  22. The role of the Research Office • Central database of business information • Industry strategies • Govt policy documents • Business plan, IP templates

  23. The role of the Research Office • Generic up-skilling/training • Workshops/seminars • Formal courses (entrepreneurship) • One on one mentoring

  24. The role of the Research Office • Targeted support • Rules of engagement with specific clients • Helping write the proposal • Helping establish the project

  25. The role of the Research Office • Simple operational management strategies • American lab book • Monitor progress against commercial milestones • WHAT, WHY, HOW

  26. At the Institute level • Induction, On-the-job training • Incentives • Royalties, bonus, promotion, resources • Performance directives, KPI’s • Employment strategies

  27. Thank You

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