This document summarizes VTT's approach to supporting innovation. It discusses VTT's group structure, which includes research, strategic research, business solutions, and intellectual property business divisions. It then describes VTT's intellectual property business approach of managing IP portfolios, creating IP-based offerings through proof-of-concepts and entrepreneurs-in-residence, and commercializing through licensing and spin-offs. The document advocates for a stepwise engagement approach to innovation that involves vision, concept and product development using various funding sources and instruments. It provides an example of how VTT is working on technologies to enable greener cities by minimizing urban ecological footprints.

1. Supporting Innovation at VTT
Nordic Green, SRI, Menlo Park
28. 4. 2010
Tapio Koivu

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VTT Group structure 2010
V T T Technical Research Centre of Finland
(State-owned research centre under the domain of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy)
R&D Strategic research Business Solutions
 Research personnel  Self-financed research  Management of customer accounts
 Research resources  Jointly funded research  Contract research
 Technology licensing as a part of
IP Business Group Services contract research sales
 IPR sales and licensing  Support functions  Separate finances for commercial
 IPR portfolio management activities
Separate finances for commercial activities.
VTT Expert Services Ltd VTT Ventures Ltd VTT International Ltd
 Specialist reports and assessments  Ownership and development  Administration and
 Certification and approval services of spin-offs development of international
 Testing, inspection and calibration service points

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IP Business
VTT’s Intellectual Property Business
 Management and commercializating of IP
portfolios
 400 inventions per year
 350 patent families
 Creating IP based offering
 Matching market demands with technology
offering
 Proof-of-concepts
 Entrepreneurs-In-Residence
 Commercialization
 Licensing, spin-offs

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Resources are scarce, it is essential to know how to
use them!
 R&D directed towards future
market needs
Vision Concept Product
 Stepwise engagement
Development Development Development
 Stepwise contribution using
various sources & instruments Start-up &
invesments
 Training and coaching for
Committment
Involevement
entrepreneurship Milestones,
Engagement
Terms,
 Commitment and trust building customer specs
 Team building
 Customer engagement Identification of
 Technology engagment opportunity

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Case Example: Technologies Enabling Greener Cities
Ordinary
Three imperative drivers Urban Unit
 Regenerating Resources from
Ecological foot print
Waste Ecological
Urban Unit
 Enabling of integrated
solutions ICT- enabled
 Sourcing globally, deploying high-tech
locally Urban Unit
Past Today Future
The opportunity:
Tools & solutions to minimize the
ecological footprint of urban units

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THE CHALLENGE:
RESEARCH OR
INNOVATION?
Research = Transforming money into
knowledge
Innovation = Transforming knowledge
into money

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THANK YOU!
Tapio.Koivu@vtt.fi