Wellington
It’s flown a bit under the radar, and the two organisations will in theory have identifiedtheir preferred collaboration model by the end of the year.
But, the announcement earlier this month that IndustrialResearch and UniServices (the University ofAuckland’s commercialisation company) are to team up is a very interesting move.
Both organisations are in the business of turning ideas into income, with IRL’s focus over thepast five years being clearly on helping NZ businesses grow through better use of its physics,chemistry, engineering and applied mathematics capability. UniServices manages all of theuniversity’s intellectual property, and turns some of this IP into new products and companies. Itmakes most of its money from contract research however, as well as licence royalties from others’using the university’s ideas.
The Kiwi Innovation Network,
Kiwinet
, which counts IRL,
Whether it has been Auckland wanting to do its own thing, or the rest of NZ being slightly waryof its big brother success, the Queen city’s never been part of the group hug – even itpoliticians would like it to be.
So, IRL, which makes no secret of the fact that it should be expanding its capability in Aucklandand Christchurch as well as building a new Wellington (Gracefield) campus, is looking to do exactlythe collaboration that as small a country as New Zealand should and must do.
There’s sure to be areas of expertise and understanding where IRL and UniServices dovetailtogether very well. IRL in particular has IP which is best suited to a use-by-licence basis. Ratherthan try to invent what are usually lengthy legal documents from scratch, using UniServices skills(and templates) could save it a power of time and money. Conversely, the applied nature of IRL’sskills is sure to be complementary to the base from which UniServices draws its IP.
Equally, the contacts and connections that both parties bring to the table are invaluable.There's nothing quite like a "you should talk to this person," comment to help move a new initiativealong.
Undoubtedly too, there will be a bit of bluff and bluster as both organisations show their cardswhile working out a collaboration model. That’s to be expected.
For the sake of the country, from two of very few organisations able to help deliver innovationinto the high-value manufacturing sector that Sir Paul Callaghan has been championing over the pastfew months, let’s hope they get it right.
It is much better for these leading organisations to plot their own partnership path, (as isKiwinet) than the Ministry of Science & Innovation’s attempt to do so under the NationalNetwork of Collaboration Centres. The
Teaming up IRL and UniServices, under circumstances that aren’t a forced marriage, will provideoutcomes for New Zealand that are much more beneficial.
Without doubt too, there will also be serendipitous benefits.
That’s what happens when you get clever people paddling the same waka.
Go hard and get on with it you two.