The ≈70 research institutes that form this large applied research organization push the envelope on innovation in a dizzying array of fields. From electronics to advanced materials, their combined research efforts touch the lives of millions in many different ways.
The research organization—let’s call it “the Organization”—handles all patents and commercialization on behalf of the institutes and is traditionally very strong in “technology push.” It wanted to strengthen its “market pull” approach as a basis for creating business model spin-offs based on the institutes’ tech.
The organization now has the complete range of innovation vehicles and a proven methodology for commercializing breakthrough R&D at scale. The market pull framework will support the launch of new sustainable technology ventures, driving society-changing innovations with global resonance.
Despite the vast amount of research being conducted by the various institutes, the Organization found itself at a disadvantage in exploring the full range of market opportunities for these technologies—especially for R&D that lacked clear use cases, concrete applications, or paths to commercialization. Like many research organizations, the Organization was facing three challenges:
We began by analyzing the Organization’s existing tools, projects, and innovative vehicle landscape. Everything that followed was tailored to the Organization’s needs, resources and decision-making culture.
To tackle the discovery and funding gaps, we designed a bespoke prioritization and business model design playbook. Patents, projects and know-how were screened against clear market criteria and investment theses to select business models with the highest commercial potential. “Graduates” of the screening process were then gated through several layers of scrutiny, including techno-economic analysis, impact assessment, technical due diligence, and go-to-market validation.
Technology transfer is not without risk. To mitigate this, we integrated market feedback loops into the process from day one via a collaboration platform for industry and investors. This ensured that market inputs—attitude, appetite, willingness to fund/pay—were continually on the radar.
Here is how we joined forces to evolve the client's capabilities to create new ventures leveraging cutting edge technology.
Evolving Stryber's proven ideation process to align with the client's environment, we set out to define the evaluation criteria for ventures and begun mapping technologies and fields of expertise.
Based on the co-developed investment thesis, we sought to understand the market environment and corresponding competences. Analyzing existing value chains, we curated lists of relevant business ideas and evaluated business models based on defined filters.
Compiling our research findings and relevant market data, we agreed a validated path forward.
With assets specified, we begun carrying out interviews with researchers, and coordinating with institutes to define the IP strategy. Our teams organised interviews with experts and potential customers for further insight.
We undertook further interviews with potential customers and experts alongside competitor analysis and market sizing. From here, we produced iterative solution designs and comprehensive impact assessments.
The last step involved thorough market analysis and producing rough product designs for agreed ventures. Finally we consolidated all our findings, defined the go-to-market strategy, and supported with the go/no-go decision.
We piloted the new market-driven innovation approach with venture projects in the sustainability space, one in chemicals and one in building materials, among others. Both projects leveraged the institutes’ unique technological assets and IP—and both easily secured pre-seed funding through the Organization’s accelerator program. The Organization now has a comprehensive and scalable framework to turn innovation into pioneering new business ventures.
