Aalto University aims at maximising the impact of new knowledge created by the university activities while protecting inventors rights in the commercialisation process. Innovation Services advises teams on how to protect the innovation and develop it towards commercialisation.

Inventors always retain a fair share of the possible monetary returns of any intellectual property. The commercialisation process also opens up possibilities for other funding and resources, such as the Business Finland Research to Business funding. After being successfully developed to a commercial stage, the invention will be able to attract commercial interest in terms of resources and bringing the invention to use for example in the form of an investment to a spin-out company, licensing or acquisition.

Aalto University's vision includes a commitment to building a sustainable and entrepreneurial society based on sustainable development. Aalto University's main goal in the commercialisation of intellectual property rights is to maximize the societal impact of the university by bringing the results of research, teaching and other activities into the best possible use. The Aalto Innovation Services advise academic staff in the development and protection of innovations and incorporation activities including technology transfers. Commercialisation project activities are supported together with Aalto Startup Center’s advisors. 

Business Finland offers Research to Business -funding

Business Finland can fund research projects, where scientists take the development of an idea further while preparing for the commercialization of the idea into new business. Business Finland funding can be applied by Finnish research organizations. According to the Business Finland policy the applications must first be handled by the commercialization unit of the university. Innovation Services is responsible of the application process in Aalto University.

Unlike other Business Finland R2B funding requires significant contribution in preparing the commercialization. According to Business Finland official instructions the commercialization must be at least 40 % of all costs in the project. However in practice this means that if the project team doesn’t have genuine interest to create new business (startup) from the research results or license the technology to existing company Business Finland won’t fund the application.

Business Finland requires that the applicants have made significant actions to prove that the project is on sustainable base from the commercial point of view. Innovation Advisors helps to draft these actions and project plan.