TECH TRANSFER OFFICER

The Certificate aims to develop the interdisciplinary competencies required to connect frontier technology development with market application and societal impact. Students will acquire an integrated understanding of technology transfer and open innovation, including the actors, processes, organizational models and commercialization pathways that link universities, research organizations, startups, corporations, investors and innovation intermediaries. This Certificate is built around a unique collaboration between Luiss University and Politecnico di Torino. A distinctive feature of the course is the opportunity for students to work directly on real frontier technologies and patented inventions developed by research groups at Politecnico di Torino. Depending on the edition, technologies may originate from fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Manufacturing, Sustainability, Energy, Mobility, Healthcare Technologies, Robotics, Advanced Materials and Digital Technologies. The increasing complexity of technologies, together with the growing convergence among scientific disciplines and technologies, is reshaping the way organizations innovate. Companies are required to source, acquire and integrate external knowledge and technologies through open innovation practices, while research organizations are expected to maximize the societal and economic impact of their scientific discoveries. In this context, a growing demand is emerging for professionals capable of bridging the gap between technology development and market application. Technology Transfer and Open Innovation Managers play a critical role in identifying, evaluating, protecting, commercializing and scaling new technologies through collaboration among universities, research organizations, startups, corporations, investors and innovation intermediaries. The program develops technical and analytical competencies in technology assessment, patent intelligence, intellectual property management, market and competitive analysis, business model design, technology valuation and commercialization strategy. Students will become familiar with analytical tools and practices used by technology transfer offices, innovation managers, technology scouts, venture builders and deep-tech investors. Through project-based work on patented technologies developed by Politecnico di Torino research groups, students will learn to assess technological and commercial potential, identify applications and customer segments, compare licensing, partnership, joint-development and spin-off options, and formulate a preliminary commercialization roadmap. Interaction with technology transfer managers, corporate innovation professionals, investors, incubators and legal experts will enhance career awareness and professional readiness. The learning approach combines lectures, professional tools, team coaching and a final presentation. By the end of the Certificate, students will be prepared to translate scientific and technological knowledge into credible strategies for economic, industrial and societal impact.

No specific prior knowledge is required. Participation may be facilitated by: • a basic understanding of innovation, entrepreneurship, business strategy, economics, management, engineering, science or technology-related subjects; • an interest in emerging technologies, intellectual property, startups and innovation ecosystems

Upon completion of the Certificate, students will be able to: • analyze technology transfer and open innovation ecosystems, distinguishing the roles and interactions of research organizations, startups, corporations, investors and intermediaries; • assess the maturity, potential applications and market readiness of frontier technologies using Technology Readiness Levels and structured assessment frameworks; • conduct patent and technology intelligence analyses, interpret patent landscapes, identify relevant trends. • evaluate the commercial potential of a patented technology by integrating technological, market, competitive, legal and financial evidence; • identify and compare commercialization pathways, including licensing, spin-off creation, joint development, strategic partnerships and corporate adoption; • analyze markets, customer segments, use cases and unmet needs, and formulate testable hypotheses for customer and market validation; • design a preliminary business model, market-entry strategy and commercialization roadmap, defining milestones, risks, resources and partnership requirements; • apply open innovation frameworks to technology scouting, external sourcing, corporate-startup collaboration and ecosystem development; • understand the main legal and contractual mechanisms used in technology transfer, including licensing, joint development, confidentiality and know-how management; These outcomes will be demonstrated through patent and market analysis, comparison of commercialization alternatives, team-based project work and the final presentation of a commercialization strategy. The Certificate is particularly relevant to roles in technology transfer, open innovation, innovation management, technology scouting, intellectual property and licensing, research valorization, venture building, incubation and acceleration, corporate innovation, deep-tech investment and innovation consulting. Applicable roles include Technology Transfer Officer or Manager, Open Innovation Manager, Technology Scout, Innovation Analyst or Consultant, IP and Licensing Specialist, Venture Builder, Incubation or Acceleration Program Manager and Corporate Venture Analyst.

The Certificate covers technology transfer, open innovation and the commercialization of frontier technologies, examining how scientific knowledge and patented inventions can generate economic, industrial and societal impact. Core topics include innovation ecosystems and their actors; Technology Readiness Levels and market readiness; technology assessment; patent and competitive intelligence; intellectual property and preliminary freedom-to-operate considerations. The program then addresses opportunity recognition, market discovery, customer validation, academic entrepreneurship, university spin-offs, licensing, business model design, market-entry strategies and financing for proof-of-concept and deep-tech growth. Further content focuses on technology scouting, external innovation sourcing, corporate-startup collaboration, joint development, strategic partnerships, corporate venture approaches and ecosystem management. Legal and contractual topics include licensing, technology transfer and joint development agreements, confidentiality, know-how management and technology asset valuation. The program also presents research valorization practices, proof-of-concept programs and examples from European universities and research organizations. The applied component is based on patented technologies developed by Politecnico di Torino. Through workshops, assignments and coaching, teams conduct patent, technology and market analyses, compare exploitation options and develop a commercialization strategy.

Course slides, case studies, patent documents, technology-assessment templates and guidance for the databases and analytical tools used during the project activities.

The Certificate adopts active, experiential and competency-based teaching methods with the practical application of professional tools and frameworks. Project-based learning is implemented through two intermediate assignments and the final Technology Commercialization Challenge. Students collect and interpret evidence, compare strategic alternatives, formulate recommendations and present an integrated commercialization roadmap.

Assessment is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. . Feedbacks will be provided during the course to support the progressive improvement of assignments and the final project work. Requirement for obtaining the Certificate: regular attendance of at least 70% of the learning activities and successful completion of the final assessment. For "non-compliant" students and students exempt from the attendance requirement, learning outcomes will be assessed through an oral examination, defined by the instructor in accordance with the Certificate content, learning objectives, and expected learning outcomes. For this purpose, the examination for "non-compliant" students and students exempt from the attendance requirement may include, at the instructor's discretion, questions on course content, discussion of cases or practical scenarios, analysis and discussion of materials, presentation and discussion of individual assignments, or any other assessment methods deemed appropriate to verify the full achievement of the expected learning outcomes. The Digital Badge will only be awarded to students who meet the minimum 70% attendance requirement. Therefore, students who, for any reason, including exemption from the attendance requirement, do not meet this threshold will not be eligible to receive the Digital Badge, even if they successfully pass the final examination.

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