The good news is that things have changed

Just before the summer, when Véronique Dufey was appointed Director of the development of the national Research Institute for the exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer), she began by making a comparison. Result, the Institute does not have to be ashamed to his French counterparts. With a portfolio of 70 patents, it is located in the lineage of the organizations of the same caliber. Only problem, these patents are low: the royalties that generate 500,000 euros per year on a total budget of 150 million. Simply because only a third of the portfolio gives rise to the sale of licences to industrialists.

Since the birth of Ifremer, fifteen companies were created. The last, Algenics, uses the microalgae as factories manufacturing cells. "This remains low compared to the potential we have," recognizes Véronique Dufey, which enumerates the list of all the economic sectors with which technology transfers are possible: telecommunications, oil, agri-food, aquaculture, chemistry, biotechnology, cosmetics industry and health.

Véronique Dufey share a principle: "the purpose of upgrading is to pass academic knowledge in the society and turn it into economic results." Thus, it is unnecessary to expect revenues for each assigned license. On the other hand multiply agreements: "Sell a technology, to be successful and at a reasonable price." Otherwise, the industrialist will look elsewhere. Observe the countries in which it goes well, as the United States or Israel.

Educating researchers

Véronique Dufey knows very well the question, since after a journey in the Bank and SME financing, it created his company, and worked at the Evry Genopole to help researchers to create their society: "I worked with development cells to negotiate patent license agreements." Often difficult negotiations.

Better make guess first educate researchers in the interest of the recovery, "including PhD students, whose population constitutes the future of research". Training sessions will be designed to include all issues of enhancement to researchers who, contrary to conventional wisdom, are sometimes inclined to share too quickly and without precaution their knowledge with industry.

The good news is that things have changed. "On the enhancement, the State of mind has changed here at Ifremer, but also among many young researchers, who see the filing of patent in a positive way." "But it is true that one can do better," said Chantal Chahu, Director of the Department of Physiology and marine organisms, in company with another researcher, filed a patent now operated by an industrialist.

In practice, things are not simple, since Ifremer account 1.385 employees across 26 locations in metropolitan France and overseas, and has a cell for upgrading using only a dozen people, including three loaded of business. The recovery also requires that companies learn about the Institute. It is already quite close to some industries, the commercial benefits and contract related to the total research between 15 and 26 million euros per year depending on the year particularly in oil, Telecom, and of course, aquaculture. Difficult however for specialists of the environment, electronics or energy whether they could find at Ifremer to technologies likely to be valued. Through involvement in several poles, competitiveness and participation in trade shows Ifremer leaders hope awareness.

Véronique Dufey last goal: create a maturing Fund that would finance 3-5 projects per year for amounts between 20,000 and 150,000 euros. "He must be sure that a technology is industrial, corresponds to the expectations of the market and does not side effects, for example in the case of biotechnology." "This may take up to a year or two," she said. If the financing of this Fund is not yet decided, but he should be created next year, during the 25 years of Ifremer, and operational in 2010.