TransferFAQ
General
Which role does knowledge and technology transfer play at Heidelberg University?
Sustainable structures have been built in the field of knowledge and technology transfer through the Vice-Rectorate for Innovation and Transfer and the establishment of the university's transfer agency hei_INNOVATION. In addition, ScienceValue Heidelberg GmbH was founded as a new institution, which, as a 100% subsidiary of the university, acts as a consulting and commercialisation company for academic technology transfer. Another actor is the Rectorate's Communication and Marketing Department, which oversees for the area of communication and especially science communication. These partners jointly organise and promote knowledge and technology transfer at Heidelberg University.
Which institutions support and promote transfer?
Sustainable structures have been built in the field of knowledge and technology transfer through the Vice-Rectorate for Innovation and Transfer and the establishment of the university's transfer agency hei_INNOVATION. In addition, ScienceValue Heidelberg GmbH was founded as a new institution, which, as a 100% subsidiary of the university, acts as a consulting and commercialisation company for academic technology transfer. Another actor is the Rectorate's Communication and Marketing Department, which oversees for the area of communication and especially science communication. These partners jointly organise and promote knowledge and technology transfer at Heidelberg University.
I would like to transfer my knowledge stronger into society. Who can I contact?
Science communication and public relations are supported by the Office of Communication and Marketing. Start-up support, knowledge transfer, further training in the area of entrepreneurial skills and the topic of network transfer are the responsibility of the transfer agency hei_INNOVATION. Invention disclosures, patent applications, exploitation contracts and data management are handled by ScienceValue Heidelberg GmbH.
Transfer agency hei_INNOVATION ScienceValue Heidelberg GmbH Communications and Marketing
Knowledge transfer
How is knowledge transfer understood at Heidelberg University?
The term refers to research-based projects that aim to generate new ways of thinking and approaches to solve societal challenges. Another important aspect is that complex research content is translated in a manner in which it can be applied to society.
How is knowledge transfer supported?
hei_INNOVATION supports members of the university in projects that aim to transfer research results into application and society. Questions about transfer aspects can be discussed in calls for proposals or funding lines, as well as the question of whether a transfer path could be considered for a project, and if so, which one. hei_INNOVATION provides support in the search of suitable cooperation partners for projects or in networking with other scientists. It advises scientists (in person or virtually) on the planning, organisation and implementation of transfer projects that focus on social impact.
Who supports me in the area of science communication?
While Knowledge Transfer focuses on formats that aim to generate value for society through research-based, application-oriented, needs- and target group-specific problem-solving strategies, the Communication and Marketing department supports all those projects that are geared towards information, exchange and dialogue.
What formats does the university offer in the area of science communication?
With various event and communication formats, including the Academic Lunch Break, the Ruperto Carola Ring Lectures or the ÜberLebensStrategien, which are aimed at the general public, but also encounters between politics, culture or business and science, Heidelberg University strives to connect research expertise and specialist knowledge with the diverse target groups.
What projects does hei_INNOVATION conduct in the area of knowledge transfer?
Currently, the establishment of an expert platform (heiEXPERT) is in progress, as well as the development of a Social Impact Readiness Index Tool (SIRI), the latter together with the Centre for Social Investment and Innovation (CSI).
The expert platform will enable all members of the university to present and specify their expertise compactly within the university. This not only creates new networking opportunities, but also makes thematic and professional intersections of individual actors easier to find and visible.
Based on the KTH Innovation Readiness Level Tool®, the SIRI tool identifies possible transfer paths that are tailored to the respective target group and objective. SIRI thus provides both a transfer system and a set of transfer instruments for evaluating projects and supporting them in a custom-fit manner.
Start-up support
What support is provided at Heidelberg University for start-ups?
hei_INNOVATION offers free consulting services that provide information about the process of founding a company, corresponding funding opportunities, the validation of business models, as well as property rights. Thanks to a broad network, numerous areas of expertise can also be covered. Furthermore, seminars, workshops and programmes are offered in which members of the university can advance and validate projects, but also gain experience on the topic of entrepreneurship.
Is the consulting service for founders free of charge and confidential?
Yes, the consulting service for founders provided by the university's transfer agency is free of charge. All shared data and information is treated as strictly confidential. All hei_INNOVATION employees are bound to secrecy and may not pass on what has been discussed to third parties without express permission.
Consulting Service for Founders
Do I have to have a specific start-up idea in order to take advantage of the consulting service?
You should have a basic business idea, but it does not have to be completely developed; much of it will be developed together with the hei_INNOVATION advisors after the initial consulting.
Can legal questions also be answered during the consulting service?
No, there is no consulting on legal questions as part of the consulting service.
Does hei_INNOVATION help with the application for funding as well?
Yes, hei_INNOVATION offers comprehensive consulting on current funding projects as well as other financing options. The method of financing one chooses depends greatly on one's personal situation and circumstances. Each type of financing has its advantages and disadvantages. hei_INNOVATION provides concrete support in applying for EXIST funding, as well as basic consulting on how to apply for funding. Depending on the industry, an individual assessment will be made as to which funding is suitable for start-ups or projects.
What programmes are offered as start-up support?
The STARTUP LAB focuses on teams that are in the validation phase. In four weeks, they go through numerous workshops in the LAB and receive input on topics such as sales, marketing, business model development or pitching. In addition, the INNOVATON SCHOOL or the seminars offered in the Entrepreneurship Skills Moduleprovide a suitable offer, depending on the needs and stage of the start-up idea, which helps aspiring founders to further develop themselves and their idea.
How can I exchange ideas with other founders or start-ups and find team members?
Once a month, the START UPeritivo by hei_INNOVATION takes place, a regulars' table where teams and participants from the hei_INNOVATION programmes, start-up enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship enthusiasts meet to exchange ideas and network. The UPeritivo also offers the opportunity to find new team members. Specific requests can be pitched at the START UPeritivo.
Advanced training
Who can join the Entrepreneurial skills courses?
Every member of Heidelberg University as well as external persons who are interested in the topic of entrepreneurship, startup, innovations or would like to further educate themselves in the area of entrepreneurial skills can register for the courses. We welcome people from any field of expertise.
Are the courses free of charge?
The courses are completely free of charge for all students of Heidelberg University. If you are an employee scientist at DKFZ, EMBL, Max-Planck and ZI, you can also attend the courses free of charge due to the negotiated partnerships. Students of the PH Heidelberg also have access to LSF and are entitled to participate free of charge. All other external interested parties have to get access to LSF and Moodle via the guest auditor registration.
Do the courses take place every semester?
The basis courses Entrepreneurship for Beginners 1 and 2 are taking place every semester. Most other courses are only every other semester. The course overview can be found in LSF and is constantly updated.
Do I have to complete the entire certificate or can I participate in courses individually?
The courses can also be taken individually. Only in the course Entrepreneurship for Beginners 2 basic knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship is advantageous. The Startup Lab course can only be taken with a business idea.
Do I receive ECTS for taking the courses?
Yes, you will receive ECTS for taking the courses as long as you meet the prerequisites. The extent to which the ECTS will be credited to your degree program depends on your choice of subjects. As a rule, however, they can be credited in the higher-level competencies. Please check this with your responsible examination office.
Do I need previous knowledge to participate in the courses?
No, however we might recommend participating in the course Entrepreneurship for Beginners 1 before starting Entrepreneurship for Beginners 2.
Who is my main contact?
Amelie Vermeer (amelie.vermeer@uni-heidelberg.de) is responsible for the conceptual organization. If you have general questions about the certificate, you can contact her. If you have questions regarding the course, please contact the course director, who is mentioned in LSF.
How good do my English skills need to be?
A2 level is sufficient for participation in the courses. The course instructors speak German, so that questions can also be clarified in German if necessary.
Cooperations
Where can I go if I am interested in technologies from the University?
If you are interested in Heidelberg University technologies, please contact ScienceValue Heidelberg GmbH, which is a 100% subsidiary of the university and acts as a consulting and exploitation company for academic technology transfer.
How can I participate in hei_INNOVATION activities as a company or institution?
There are various possibilities to cooperate with hei_INNOVATION as an individual or company - as a mentor or impulse generator on topics of the continuing education programmes, as a sponsor of an event or programme or as a challenger donor enabling teams to work on an individual problem in the programmes. Please feel free to contact us if you have a concrete idea of cooperation or would like to exchange ideas.
hei_INNOVATION Contact persons
Can I include my course in the Entrepreneurial Skills Certificate?
To find out whether you can integrate your course into the Entrepreneurial Skills Certificate, please contact the hei_INNOVATION team via lehre@heiinovation.uni-heidelberg.de. In general, all courses that deal with entrepreneurship or intrapreneurship components are suitable.
Inventions and Patents
What is intellectual property and what are property rights?
Intellectual property includes all creations of the human intellect. These can be protected in a legally binding manner. These property rights are secured and enforceable by patent, utility model, secret know-how or even copyright.
How does a discovery differ from an invention?
Observations and descriptions from the world of biology, mathematics, physics or chemistry are discoveries. They make accessible what already exists in nature and was previously merely hidden. As a rule, no commercial protection can be gained on them. In contrast, an invention provides a solution to a technical problem. It is purpose-oriented and commercially exploitable.
What are the requirements for a successful patent application?
Three essential criteria must be met. (1) The development must be new and not known or prior art. (2) The invention must be commercially and industrially exploitable. (3) There must be a certain inventive step, i.e. the innovation must not be obvious or obvious to an expert. Often, the fulfilment of these three aspects is not entirely clear. With the support of patent exploitation agencies and patent attorneys, we can expertly assess inventions and draft a custom-made patent specification.
Who evaluates patentability?
The novelty, inventive step and exploitation prospects of an invention are evaluated by ScienceValue Heidelberg (SVH) GmbH. It is a 100% subsidiary of the university and accompanies the inventions of the university from the development to the exploitation with its experienced employees who are well networked in the industry.
zur ScienceValue Heidelberg GmbH
Who is an inventor?
Any person who has made a creative contribution to the solution of the inventive problem is a co-inventor. In contrast, a necessary but purely mechanical activity that has contributed to the solution is not a creative contribution (e.g. taking measurements). An activity according to the clear specifications of others is also not creative (e.g. evaluation according to certain predefined criteria). Inventorship exists whenever the inventor's own creativity has been incorporated into the technical solution. However, if there are several inventors, the contribution to the solution may differ in value. The inventors determine the respective percentage among themselves and pass this information on to us in the invention disclosure.
What must be considered when publishing?
General rule - first the patent application, then the publication. The invention should also not have been published as a poster, abstract, thesis or lecture. This is because any prior publication no longer fulfils criterion (1) for a patent application, i.e. the concept of novelty. Everything that has been published is considered prior art. As soon as the patent application is filed, protection exists and it can be published. However, there are solutions if a publication must/should be made anyway.
In the case of posters, abstracts or lectures, the essence of the invention cannot be stated / presented and only the results can be reported. Here we are happy to advise you. In the case of high-ranking publications, this procedure is rather not possible. In this case, it is important to run the publication process in parallel with the patent application process at an early stage. At the beginning of the work on the manuscript, an invention disclosure should then also be completed. As a rule, the process from evaluation to decision to patent application takes 4-6 months, so this can usually be easily reconciled with the publication process. In urgent cases, the process of evaluation, decision and patent application can also be faster (1-2 months), but then with increased costs for the external service providers such as patent attorneys.
Who bears the costs of the patent procedure?
All costs in the patent procedure - patent attorney, official fees - are borne by the university as your employer. These are around €6,000 - €8,000 for the first application. Further costs arise in the following years: Year 1 approx. another 6,000 - 8,000 €, Year 2 and 3 approx. another 12,000 - 15,000 €. Ideally, these expenses are compensated when the patent is exploited (sale, licensing, spin-off).
Can software be patented?
In principle, software is subject to copyright. Patenting is only possible and useful in special cases. This can be the case if, for example, a technical process is controlled with the software (optimised data storage, brake control in cars).
What is a licence agreement?
Licence agreements are used to grant rights of use. If companies are interested in using a patented technology or copyrighted material of Heidelberg University, a licence agreement is negotiated that defines the scope of the company's use and the consideration for it. Here, for example, it is stated whether the use is exclusive and whether and how much revenue-based licence payments the university receives.
How do I profit as an inventor?
As the owner of the patent, the university tries to achieve exploitation by selling the patent or licensing out the technology. In accordance with legal regulations (ArbEG), 30% of the resulting exploitation income is paid out to the inventor team. From the remaining 70% of the income, a significant portion also goes to your institute and can be used for future research.
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