Technology Transfer for Pro-Poor Development:

Creating, accelerating and nurturing global technology access for socio

economic growth and entrepreneurial opportunities

K. Vijayaraghavan (VIJAY) , Sathguru Management Consultants, India and

Richard Cahoon, RSCahoon & Associates,Cornell University

OUTLINE

1. Technology Transfer: A solution to prevailing agricultural and environmental problems

2. The Cornell-Sathguru partnership: a potential model for implementing this solution

3. Scaling Up the Cornell-Sathguru model4. Implementation

The Potential and Failure of Agricultural/Environmental Tech Transfer and

Commercialization

Technologies created in developed countries can solve agricultural and environmental problems, meet local nutritional needs, and create business opportunities in developing regions

HOWEVER……….

the technologies are not delivered to the appropriate entrepreneurs, businesses and agencies who can adapt them to local economic, structures and markets

What are the reasons for this failure?

There are few international structures and processes that:

1. Select appropriate, adaptable technologies from technology partners in Part 1 and Part 2 countries

2. Prepare the necessary scientific, technical, legal, and human components into an assessable, accessible and assimilateble package

3. Identify and mentor suitable and receptive implementing parties in Part 2 countries

4. Plan and manage the technology transfer and commercialization process between creators and implementers in Part 1 and Part 2 countries

5. Provide on-going mentoring and support to assure the technology transfer and assimilation takes “root”

The Proposed Solution

The structure and strategy proposed today are based on a partnership model that has been tested and successful for 20 years……

The Cornell University – Sathguru Partnership focused on India and SE Asia

This Partnership has consistently delivered appropriate – often early stage – technologies to Part 2 private and public sector organizations and entrepreneurial enterprises for commercialization and dissemination.

Components of the Solution:• Professional and consistent management team

• Systematic scientific, technical and commercial selection of suitable technologies

• “Thickening” of the technology “package”

• Identifying and mentoring Part 2 private and public recipients

• Active participation in the “transfer” of technology (people, tangibles, intellectual properties, “adjuvants”)

• On-going monitoring and support of post transfer process

• Mentoring, trouble-shooting, “hand-holding” from development to product launch – the key translational phase.

• Addressing similar problems across regions in a “consortium” mode.

Our background• Vijay, Chair and CEO of Sathguru - 25 years

experience in strategic research management, technology transfer and enterprise promotion

• Sathguru – leader in creating North-South and South –South partnerships for life science technology transfer, dissemination and capacity creation.

• Two decades of partnership with Cornell University and other leading Land Grant Universities and research organizations.

Our background.• Richard Cahoon,PhD (Agriculture) led the Technology

Transfer mission of Cornell for nearly 20 years. • Expertise in agricultural technology

commercialization, fostering public good innovations, combining global commercial licensing with philanthropy.

• Founder or participant in nearly 40 technology-based start up companies

• A decades-long relationship with Sathguru in addressing enhanced access to pro-poor technologies relevant for wider regions of the world.

The sources of agricultural innovation

• Fundamental life science discoveries at top tier institutions (e.g., traditional breeding and genomics) provide deep understanding of the technical solutions for agriculture and food productivity

• Convergence of cutting edge and traditional science (e.g., molecular breeding) provide rapid solutions for improved plant traits and crop productivity

• Modern process technologies to enhance the nutritional value, shelf life and other attributes

• Part 1 countries where there is significant public and private investment in basic and translational research

• Part 2 country national agricultural research institutes

Global Agriculture - Where are these technologies needed ?

• the need to produce more food, fiber, clean water is an urgent necessity for Part 2 countries.

Sathguru: Harnessing appropriate technologies for agriculture.

• Part 1 country technologies are often IP protected and require sophisticated license negotiation

• Licensing technologies requires a capable party to inspire a licensor to assume licensing risks– Many licensors do not have the needed people, patience and

internal processes• Technologies do not find “ready-to-go” application in Part II

countries• Most Part II countries generally do not appear to be suitable for

licensors• Part II country groups often not equipped to source technology

Capacity building is an integral part of the engagement process

Academic – Industry – Government Partnerships through technology licensing

• Sathguru is a leader in aggregating Academic technologies for pro-poor application

• Initial path breaking technologies from Cornell licensed to South Asian and South East Asian partners. Brought in large support from other Land grants and Public research bodies to pool various technologies.

• Subsequent efforts underway to stretch to East and Sub-Saharan African region

• Unique combination of private and public sector partnering

Why did Cornell enter into this partnership?• Cornell views itself as “Land Grant” (agricultural)

University for the World• Its mission: dissemination of knowledge,

discoveries, and technology for the widest (global) public good

• The Sathguru partnership offered a unique mechanism to deliver Cornell technologies to India and other countries in South Asia, South East Asia and Africa

• Mutual trust

• Cornell’s international reputation in agricultural education, research and extension

• The world-wide network of Cornell graduates in private and public sectors of agriculture

• Existing global initiatives and programs• Many of Cornell’s technologies adapt readily

to Part 2 country applications

The “Cornell Factor” in partnership success

Cornell’s experience with the Sathguru partnership

• “High tech” and “low tech” innovations successfully transferred• Sathguru complemented Cornell’s dual goals of commercial

success and philanthropy• Cornell’s faculty and student involvement and outreach

extended through new partnerships• South Asian faculty and students involvement with Cornell

extended through the same partnerships• Cornell’s reputation enhanced in private and public sectors –

demonstrated that commercial success and social responsibility are compatible goals

• Spin-off activities created educational opportunities; consulting; improved government relations; newly endowed programs and more

• Significant engagement with In-country policy planners and industry in capacity building

Case studies• drought tolerant crop technologies • Late Blight disease resistance and improved agronomic

traits in potato• insect resistance in eggplant• novel fruit and vegetable cultivars• nutritional enhancement and shelf life extension of foods• biological controls for crop protection• cell lines for veterinary medicine• research tools and technical properties

It is easy to engage in public sector in the process, but can we engage the private sector?

Parallel public and private sector approach

Addressing multi-country partnerships in the region with similar issues

(DST Rice, eggplant, Potato and SFX).

How can we scale up this model?

• Global scale up requires effective alignment to the planned initiatives and goals of development investors

• Synergizing with the World Bank’s STI initiatives • Expanding in countries that are ready to “leap-

frog” in agriculture innovations with appropriate technology access, e.g., Ghana – Tunisia – Rwanda – Vietnam – Cambodia –Columbia –Central China – Chile – Bangladesh and many others

Scaling Up ChallengesEconomic development related factors

Enhancing technology access for international licensing Enticing Corporate innovators to contribute to public good and encourage them to

engage in partnership with low income economies Create polities in countries that inhibit technology transfer and commercilaization

for economic growth

Capacity building implications (TTO’s) Creating qualified human resource across the developing nations with active

cooperation of bodies and Associations located in Part 1 countries Creating sustainable Technology Transfer Organizations that can network globally Enhance capacity beyond TTOs for enterprise development and accelerated

commercialization Enhance competency framework through continuing access to knowledge

How can we scale up and implement this model?

• Significantly expand technology sources • Ramp up mentoring and support for Part 2

entrepreneurs and innovative companies • Expand process of identifying matches between

technologies and implementers• Extend successes in agriculture to environmental

and natural resource areas

Key Proposals at the Convocation1. Global Coordination: Partner with TTO Organizations to Build

Global Networks and Deliver Best Practice Expertise (H1 1 intervention at the Convocation).

1. Advisory Services: Support “Innovation Enabling Environments”; Provide Entrepreneurship training, mentoring, support. World Bank can play an important critical role in this process

HI 1 and HI 2 – Proposed Interventions HI 1 Concept

Illustrative Member OrganizationsATMT (Taiwan), ASTP (EU), AUTM (US), AURIL (UK), FORTEC (Brazil), KCA

(Australia), SARIMA (Southern Africa), STEM (India), TII (EU), UNICO (UK), WARIMA (West Africa)

Build on the efforts of regional existing STI world bank initiatives and Technology transfer Associations for technology transfer capacity building.

HI 2 Concept

Support Innovation enabling environment

Legislation for IP, Benefit sharing systems for innovation rewards, gene banks, regulatory and governance systems.

International technology Transfer and enterprise commercialization – The critical need for capacity enhancement

Scaled up Cornell – Sathguru type intervention with strategic linkage to national & international

organizations engaged in fostering STI

CLEARING HOUSE

CONSULTING & LEGAL

SERVICESCONVENING

TRAINING CAPACITY BUILDING

Non-Profit organizations

Private Enterprises

UNIVERSITIES GOVT. LABS

SME FundsVCLocal Banks

Pooling of IP & know how

PART II

PART I & Part II

UniversitiesPublic Research Institutions

Corporations

Inflow / Outflow of IP

Regional knowledge partners & STI innovation networks for

direct application

Public &Private research networks for

translational research

Policy Planners

and global

development

agencies

Capacity Enhancement should be an integral part of holistic approach in technology transfer and enterprise commercialization process.