Connecting Science and Business No. 1/2008
Life Science Inkubator
Scientists planning to found a life science company in Germany very often are facing insurmountable difficulties. Long development times and the associated costs and risks as well as considerable red tape usually bar researchers in universities and many other publicly funded research institutions from developing their projects to a stage of maturation investors are interested in.
However not only lack of suitable infrastructure and funds are in the way - researchers interested in founding often do not have the business and management know-how to advance a project into a funding stage. Many excellent technology and product ideas therefore fail in a very early stage.
As a way out, Life Science Inkubator GmbH (LSI) has been founded in May 2007. LSI is located in the caesar research center in Bonn. continue
Latest technology offers from all areas
High efficiency hydrodynamic collimation vacuum interface for atmospheric pressure ion sources (20.04.2012)
Vorrichtung zur Zuführung eines flüssigen Gases in ein Gefäß – Tube Extension for Transfer of Liquid Gases (16.04.2012)
Dual-Mode Microwave Resonator for Double Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy (12.04.2012)
New funding programs for spin-offs
Support initiative "Innovation trifft Management"
Creating a spin-off company is often a good way of successfully transferring expertise and technologies developed using public funds at non-profitmaking organizations to industry, within the framework of scientific projects that are both profitable and benefit society. Moreover, spin-offs from high-tech non-university research organizations usually have enormous technological potential.
In numerous cases, however, it has become evident that additional support from external management experts in the pre-seed phase is extremely beneficial in helping to establish the new company. For this reason, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has launched the “Good Practice to Facilitate Spin-Off Ventures" support initiative to provide these skills to projects in the period preceding the start-up, and to assess the effectiveness of such support. continue
New funding program of the Federal Ministery of Economics and Technology: EXIST-Forschungstransfer
To support high-tech spin-offs from universities and non-university research organizations like i.e. the Max Planck Society (MPS), the Federal Ministery of Economics and Technology (BMWi) has established the new program EXIST-Forschungstransfer. continue
Latest License Deals
Protection film against insects - Nature as Source for Inspiration
In nature, there are many micro- and nanostructured surfaces with specific functional features, such as antireflection, adhesion enhancement, friction increase, self cleaning etc. Many plants bear structures preventing attachment of some insect species. For example, carnivorous pitcher plants from the genus Nepenthes use such structures for trapping and retaining insects. continue
Max Planck Innovation signs an exclusive license agreement with easyLab to commercialize the Boehler mDriller
Max Planck Innovation, the technology transfer agency of the Max Planck Society is proud to announce the signing of a license agreement with easyLab Technologies Ltd. This agreement enables easyLab to produce and commercialize exclusively a highly precise electro-discharge drilling machine (EDM) for conducting materials: Holes with diameters from 10 micrometers up to several millimeters can be placed with an accuracy of less than one micrometer. This EDM driller was developed by Dr Reinhard Boehler and Dr Frank Helleis at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz/Germany. continue
Max Planck Society Spin-off Profile
Protagen AG – New paths in diagnosis
Protagen has committed itself to proteins and represents due to an interlocked supply of services in protein analysis as well as software and protein biochips, an internationally established constant. Special attention deserves the fast growing market of protein biochips, where the largest potential lies within the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases and the development of therapeutic antibodies. continue
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)?
Scientists at universities, non-university research organizations and research-intensive companies often depend in the course of their work on materials (e.g. cell lines, chemical substances, etc.), which are the property or in the possession of third parties. In many cases, the owner or holder of the material is willing to make the material available to scientist.
When materials change hands in this manner, irrespective of the nature of the material itself there are a variety of different questions to answer:
- What may the recipient do with the material?
- To whom do inventions deriving from the use of such material belong?
- Is it permissible to publish the results of working with the material?
- Who is liable for loss or damage resulting from the use of the material?
In order to clarify these and other questions with binding effect, it is highly advisable to conclude a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) before the material actually changes hands. There is typically no charge thereby involved for the transfer of the material, other than any reimbursement of packing and shipping costs that may be agreed.
The following is intended to provide a brief summary of the essential elements of a MTA, possible areas of conflict and also some potential solutions. continue
Honors
Following on the heels of this year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry awarded to Prof. Dr. Gerhard Ertl (more) of the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society (MPG), Max Planck scientists have been honored with a veritable flood of important distinctions. It is particularly noticeable that the award winners have not only achieved an outstanding degree of excellence in their own scientific fields: The majority of them have also been successful – often with the support of Max Planck Innovation – in commercially exploiting their ideas and inventions, whether by licensing them to partners in industry or by spinning off their own companies. continue
Inside MI
New publications from Max Planck Innovation highlight the ideas and patents business
- Issue 12/2007 of “Nachrichten aus der Chemie”, published by the German Chemical Society (GDCh), includes a lead article by Dr. Jörn Erselius entitled “Ideen auf die Sprünge helfen” [Getting ideas off the ground]. With the kind permission of “Nachrichten aus der Chemie”, the article is available here to download as a pdf file.
- The December 2007 issue of |transkript contains a special feature on patents, to which Max Planck Innovation has contributed an article entitled “Vorteil für den Erfinder, Motor für die Volkswirtschaft” (What benefits the inventor also drives the economy). With the kind permission of |transkript, the article is available here to download as a pdf file.
2nd Biotech NetWorkshop taking place at Schloss Ringberg
There are just a few places left at the 2nd Biotech NetWorkshop taking place on February 13-15, 2008 at Schloss Ringberg. If you would like to attend, please register as soon as possible. You will find full details under the heading of MPI Visits and Events on our website.
New patent administrator
In October 2007 Ms. Kattrin Gnielka became the latest member to join our Patent Administration team.
What’s more, in the past year we have managed not only to initiate, but also successfully implement some special projects: Besides stepping up our press and publicity activities and taking part in the new “Management meets Innovation” initiative sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Education and research (BMBF), in concert with Ascenion GmbH we also hosted the first Biotech NetWorkshop at Schloss Ringberg. We would also like to turn the spotlight on our brainchild Life Science Inkubator GmbH at caesar. This company founded by MI is now commencing business operations.
Of course, we shall continue to play an active role in the New Year in promoting the transfer of technology with new ideas and concepts.
We look forward to many more exciting projects with the promise of future success, as well as to working together in a spirit of trust with all of our inventors, business founders and partners in industry and elsewhere.
The team at Max-Planck-Innovation GmbH wishes you a happy, healthy and successful New Year!
Latest events
14.06.2012
15.06.2012
Please save the date! – 2nd Founders Academy
18.06.2012
22.06.2012
ACHEMA 2012 | Frankfurt
02.07.2012
06.07.2012
15th International Congress on Catalysis 2012 | Munich
Recent spotlights
20.03.2012
SCIENION introduces sciREADER CL for colorimetric detection of multiplex assays. More
19.03.2012
Alnylam Initiates Phase I Clinical Study of ALN-TTR02, an RNAi Therapeutic Targeting Transthyretin (TTR) for the Treatment of TTR-Mediated Amyloidosis (ATTR). More
15.03.2012
Protagen and NMI announce Co-Development of Multiplex Assays. More
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Media contacts
Evelyn Wolf
Phone: (089) 4445 2099
Astrid Giegold
Phone: (089) 2909 1911