In an effort to harmonise and clarify licensing practices and principles the ETH Domain institutions are publishing on their websites a set of common licensing principles for spin-offs. These principles, designed to maximise the impact of technologies developed with public funding, focus on the broad dissemination of knowledge while ensuring a fair return on investment for the institutions. By covering crucial aspects such as the management of intellectual property rights or applicable licensing conditions, these principles aim to facilitate the creation and growth of spin-offs, thereby ensuring that innovation benefits as many people as possible while supporting the research and development objectives of the institutions.
Importance of Technology Transfer for the institutions of the ETH Domain
Technology transfer is essential for the institutions of the ETH Domain, as it enables scientific discoveries to be transformed into concrete applications that have a real impact on society. The creation of spin-offs plays a vital role in this mission. In 2023, the institutions of the ETH Domain created 69 new spin-offs, demonstrating their commitment to stimulating innovation and contributing to Switzerland’s economic prosperity. Further information and examples can be found in the Annual Report of the ETH Board.
* A spin-off company of an ETH Domain Institution is a company that emerges from research activities of an institution of the ETH Domain and is founded by employees or students from this institution.
