Innovation on Nanoscience: Processes and Ecosystems of Innovation with a multi-KET approach to foster Technology Transfer and Commercialization of Nanotechnologies in the Field of Healthcare

Abstract

Transferring nanotechnology into marketable products and services is still considered a major challenge. In Europe, this issue has been identified as a weakness, not only for nanotechnology, but also for the other five Key Enabling Technologies (KETs), strategic for the economic growth of the region. In this regard, the current European Funding Programme Horizon 2020 is making great efforts with their action lines in order to prioritize the industrial implementation of KETs, and in this manner, address major economic and societal needs. This initiative is also fostering the cross-fertilization of KETs, since it has been determined that the sum of individual technologies increases the potential for innovation, optimizes technological development, and allows the creation of new markets. This thesis has been developed on the basis of this scenario. The aim is to analyse innovation and technology transfer challenges for the successful commercialization of nanotechnologies by emphasizing the process of cross-fertilization of KETs. The research is focused on healthcare due to the great impact that nano-scale is having on this field. For this reason, the present work has considered two approaches: from a technological perspective and from a management perspective. The analysis is comprised of a state-of-the-art and theoretical framework review, followed by a multiple case-study approach where several nano-enabled sensor-based devices are analysed at diverse levels of technological maturity. In addition, an empirical study of European nano-related innovation projects was undertaken in order to determine which projects’ characteristics are influencing the creation of technological diversity; a critical element for the long-term success of an emergent technology. Finally, project leaders were interviewed in order to gain insights about the managerial strategies that are boosting the process of cross-fertilization of KETs.

Findings have shown that a multi-disciplinary, collaborative and integrated community of innovators is necessary for the effective transference and commercialization of multi-KET nanotechnologies. Additionally, the degree of multi-disciplinary projects was identified as significantly contributing to the creation of technological diversity. Furthermore, higher levels of cross-fertilization were found in market and customer-oriented projects, with actors strongly

motivated to search for ideas from broad informal networks, and where technological knowledge is moderately heterogeneous. Lastly, it has been found that the cross-fertilization of KETs is boosted by actors with a high involvement of nanotechnologies in their industries. With these outcomes, this thesis has sought to contribute to the analysis of the successful transference and commercialization of multi-KET nanotechnologies in the field of healthcare by understanding the processes and ecosystems of innovation.

The outcomes of this thesis have sought to contribute to the analysis of the successful transference and commercialization of multi-KET in the field of nanotechnologies applied to healthcare by understanding the processes and ecosystems of innovation. Accordingly, it is aimed to contribute to the reduction of the gap between research and the marketplace and to expand the knowledge of current interest regarding innovation ecosystems of emergent technologies, regional systems of innovation and strategic innovation management.

La transferència de productes i serveis basats en la nanotecnologia representa un gran repte. A Europa, aquest fet ha estat identificat com a punt dèbil, no només per a les nanotecnologies si no també per a les altres cinc tecnologies facilitadores transversales (KETs per les seves sigles en anglès), considerades estratègiques pel creixement econòmic de la regió. En aquest sentit, l’actual programa marc Europeu Horitzó 2020 està redirigint les seves línies d’acció per a prioritzar la implementació de les KETs i, d’aquesta manera, poder fer front a les necessitats econòmiques i socials més imperatives d’Europa. Aquesta iniciativa també pretén fomentar la fertilització creuada de les KETs, ja que s’ha establert que la suma de tecnologies individuals incrementa el potencial d’innovació, optimitza el desenvolupament de tecnologies i permet la creació de nous mercats. Sobre aquesta base es desenvolupa aquest treball d’investigació, el qual té la finalitat d’analitzar els reptes relacionats amb la innovació i la transferència tecnològica per a assolir amb èxit la comercialització de les nanotecnologies, posant de relleu el procés de fertilització creuada de les KETs en el camp de la salut. Amb aquesta finalitat, s’han considerat dues aproximacions: d’una banda una perspectiva tecnològica i, de l’altra, una perspectiva de gestió de la innovació. Els resultats obtinguts fan aportacions per l’anàlisi i identificació dels reptes que cal afrontar per a una favorable transferència i comercialització de les nanotecnologies multi-KET en el camp de la salut mitjançant la comprensió dels processos i ecosistemes d’innovació i, d’aquesta manera, contribuir a la reducció de la separació entre el laboratori i el mercat. Finalment també es pretén ampliar el coneixement sobre temàtiques d’interès actual respecte els ecosistemes d’innovació de les tecnologies emergents, els sistemes regionals d’innovació i la gestió estratègica de la innovació tecnològica.