Irish research spin-out companies have been responsible for the creation of 930 jobs in 2015, according to this year’s Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) annual report.
The report looks at the range of ways research performing organisations operate within the innovation ecosystem. The 25 research performing organisations (RPOs) surveyed by KTI had a combined research expenditure of €536 million in 2015.
As part of its remit, KTI manages the €22.8 million Enterprise Ireland Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative Funding Programme and works to maximise the flow of technology, intellectual property and ideas into companies for social and economic benefit.
Included in the review are the results of the Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey (AKTS), which tracks the business engagement and commercialisation activity between industry and Ireland’s state funded research performing organisations over the previous 12 months.
According to the Survey, 38 new products came to market as a result of a licence from a RPO, a 27% increase on last year. A total of 31 new spin-out companies formed, bringing the total number of spinouts incorporated over the three years since KTI’s formation to 111.
The survey also reported there were 1,235 collaborative research programmes between industry and RPOs underway at the end of 2015, a year that saw the signing of 597 new contract services agreements and 372 consultancy agreements.
“In 2015 we saw a significant rise in the level of research commercialisation coming from RPOs,” said KTI director Dr Alison Campbell. “This is evident across a number of key areas that include collaborative research for R&D, the licensing of novel intellectual property and the creation of new ventures, all of which are designed to drive business innovation and competitiveness.
“The knowledge transfer profession here in Ireland continues to grow and prosper and we now have the highest number of registered technology transfer professionals (pro rata) than any other country.”
KTI will be holding its annual Impact Awards at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham this evening.
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