Israel and the Power of Research Royalties

Translated by Nina Fink, Nathalie Hamou Publié le
Israel and the Power of Research Royalties
Hossam Haick is one of the Technion's star scientists: the institute invested early on in one of his inventions. // ©  Institut Technion
Israeli universities were among the first in the world to create Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). Every year, the country's research facilities generate €250 million in royalties. EducPros uncovers the keys to Israel's technological success and gears up for its May 22-27 Learning Expedition to the Startup Nation.

Without a doubt, Hossam Haick is one of the Technion's star scientists. Since receiving his PhD in chemical engineering at the Technion, the 41-year-old Nazareth native has been heralded with success. In 2008, he made MIT's Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 list.

The Technion invested early on in one of his inventions: an electronic nose equipped with nanosensors that uses patients' breath to detect cancer and other serious diseases. For Haick, "The Technion knows how to take risks. That's the only way to foster innovation." Haick mans a team of 36 employees working in nine labs at the Technion. Together, they have filed 28 patents and raised close to $15 million from sources including the European Union.

Experts Since 1959

It's a fact: Israeli universities have long excelled at technology transfers. They were among the first in the world to create Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). The Weizmann Institute opened its TTO in 1959. The goal? Encourage patent filing, applied research and entrepreneurial researchers. These TTOs have led international corporations like Intel and Hewlett-Packard to open campuses and business parks near Israeli universities such as Weizmann.

Yissum, located at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, conducts 40% of Israel's biotechnology research.

Another active TTO is Yissum, located at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Currently, the university conducts 40% of Israel's biotechnology research. This has allowed Yissum to attract international partners including Novartis, Johnson & Johnson and Merck.

Yissum also has countless success stories to its name. One such story is Mobileye, the Nasdaq-listed world leader in driver assistance systems. Founded in 1999 by Amnon Shashua, Sachs Chair in Computer Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the company has perfected "the third eye in your car."

Israel's annual figures are impressive. Every year, the country's technology transfers generate €250 million in royalties, over a dozen companies are founded using patents from Israeli campuses and 150 Israeli technologies are licensed.

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Translated by Nina Fink, Nathalie Hamou | Publié le