Initiative 4.1. Knowledge Valorisation

What is it about?

Knowledge valorisation is the process of creating social and economic value from knowledge by linking different areas and sectors and transforming data, know-how and research results into sustainable products, services, solutions and knowledge-based policies that benefit society.

The Austrian government’s RTI Strategy 2030 and RTI Pact 2024–2026 aim to strengthen start-up culture and entrepreneurship at universities, universities of applied sciences, and research institutions, thereby increasing the number of spin-offs. Knowledge valorisation supports the rapid and effective use of new knowledge and technologies and ensures well-functioning value chains. Early consideration of standardisation in research is also essential.

Goals & Key Activities

• Continuation of the interministerial platform “National Contact Point for Intellectual Property and Knowledge Valorisation” (NCP-IP);
• Taking different effective strategies into account in order to further develop and strengthen knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship in performance and financing agreements;
• Implement measures to promote spin-offs and start-ups.

Who is involved?

• Austrian Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research (BMFWF)
• Austrian Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI)
• Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism (BMWET)
• Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG)
• Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (aws)
• Research institutions and research funding institutions (in accordance with FoFinaG)
• Universities and universities of applied sciences
• Non-university research institutions & SMEs, spin-offs and start-ups

Expected impact

• Promoting the economic and social use of research results through sustainable innovations, following the European Guiding Principles of Knowledge Valorisation and related Codes of Practice;.
• Strengthening start-up culture and entrepreneurship at universities and research institutions by advancing exploitation strategies;
• Increasing the number of spin-offs, start-ups, scale-ups, and unicorns, with the goal of of establishing 100% more economically successful academic spin-offs by 2030.