In today’s fast-changing society, marked by the turbulence of the economy, changeable funding conditions, technical progress, and globalization, the connections between education, research and business have become increasingly important. Recognizing this need, the University of Belgrade, Meta group and the University of Liège have joined their forces within the Business Opportunity Support System upgrade for strengthening the European innovation ecosystem Project , co-funded by the Erasmus + Programme of the European Union order to:
In fact, this platform - the Business Opportunity support system - is one of the instruments which answers on the recognized need (explained above) by encouraging teachers’, researchers’ and students’ entrepreneurial mindset and further creation and transfer of innovations, from academia to the private sector. Moreover, with a focus on learning on the go, the platform supports active learning and continuous development. The following tools are incorporated into the BOSS platform:
BOSS platform is intended for students, researchers, and teachers who are interested in learning about entrepreneurship, assessment ,and development of the business opportunity. Accessibility of the platform via the internet makes the overall process easier because it provides continuous support to users and enables them to learn and work whenever it suits them best. It can be used by individuals or by groups of people. Moreover, all tool’s results and feedback can be downloaded from the Platform and used for other purposes (project documentation, presentation…), as well as shared with your team/mentor.
The BOSS platform co-funded by the Erasmus + Programme of the European Union, and developed by the University of Belgrade, Meta group and the University of Liège:
The University of Belgrade is the oldest university in Serbia and the largest in this part of Europe. Founded in 1808, it consists of 31 faculties, 11 research institutes, 13 University centers, Computer Center and the University Library with more than 3.500.000 volumes. It provides education in sciences and mathematics, technology and engineering sciences, medical sciences, social sciences and humanities, with emphasis on commercialization of research results and students’ entrepreneurship. UB gathers over 102.000 students and over 5.000 academic and research staff. UB has served its people, and its former students and teachers have greatly contributed towards the development of the economic , cultural, scientific, educational and political life of our country. Since entrepreneurship and collaboration with industry are of great importance for further development of entrepreneurial spirit among students and researchers, knowledge transfer in this area has been one of the primary focus of UB. UB supports and incites knowledge, innovation and technology transfer from the university to the industry. Its dedication to raising awareness about the importance of entrepreneurship and enabling more intensive collaboration with industry is embodied in activities of UB’s Center for technology transfer (CTT). CTT plays a supportive role through promotional, educational, networking and matchmaking activities realized through numerous initiatives and projects. CTT’s main goal is to facilitate knowledge and technology transfers and connections between researchers and industry. In order to do so, CTT provides information, assistance, and training to researchers and helps them step into the world of industry and business. At the same time, CTT helps businesses and companies connect with educational and research facilities to the benefit of both sides. Such flow/circulation of knowledge and technologies allows research results and innovations to reach the market, also developing a profitable innovations network connecting researchers and companies.
The University of Liège (ULiège) is one of the three main and complete Universities of the French – speaking Community of Belgium, hosting 24 000 students, which 23 % are foreign. 24% of our graduates have experience abroad and 41% of our doctoral students are foreigners. ULiège is a member of the European EURAXESS (European Research Area - Mobility of Researcher) and has established the Centre of Mobility of the University of Liege who can help doctoral students with practical aspects and has been rewarded the European Human resources Strategy Label for researchers.
In the field of Knowledge Transfer, ULiège set up its tech transfer office in 1989 – called Interface Entreprises-University (ITF). A comprehensive system has been built step by step including a tech transfer company, a (pre)seed capital company, 2 incubators. Today more than 140 spin –off companies have been grounded, about 150 patent families are permanently managed, and more than 200 licenses have been signed. ULiège-ITF was also a founder of the LIEU network, ASTP-Proton association, and so have access to a community and a lot of information and practices.
META Group is an international advisory and investment firm dedicated to the creation and growth of fast-growing companies. META Group addresses entrepreneurs keen to start up or further develop a new company; researchers, interested in exploiting their research results; public and private investors commited to fostering regional competitiveness. The company’s main activities are research results exploitation, support to start-up creation, access to finance, management of early stage funds, innovation and entrepreneurship policies and strategies.
In the last 10 years, META developed leading experiences in supporting researchers and startups in the exploitation process through the implementation of 3 dedicated framework contracts of the European Commission (ESIC2, SSERR, CSSERR). Within such assignments, META supported more than 600 research projects across Europe with a risk analysis of research results, exploitation seminars, business plan development, brokerage events, IPR assistance. Moreover, META has got important experiences in the implementation of the Lean Canvas methodology which has been used in several EU projects to better support researchers and startups in the definition of their business model and better preparing them to access finance and business partners.
Dr. Nedeljko Milosavljević is the director of Center for Technology Transfer of University of Belgrade since 2011. He is International Committee Member of AUTM and International Committee Member of ITTN. He was Vice- President of ASTPProton and board member of HEPTech. Nedeljko is also expert for European Commision and WIPO. He is founder of spin-off company Dr. Knight as well as Senior Research Associate at Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy. Dr. Milosavljevic has a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Belgrade and has done Post-doctoral research at Ohio University.
Prof. dr. Gordana Kokeza is a full professor at the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy of University of Belgrade. She is teaching: Business Economics and Management, Industrial Management, the Basics of Marketing, Management of Technology Development, Energy Economics and Human Resources Management. Prof. Kokeza has participated in the preparation of a large number of projects within the field of collaboration with corporate entities.
Tamara Čolić Milosavljević is a Technology Transfer Manager at Center for Technology Transfer of University of Belgrade. She is also responsible for management of national and international projects focused on industry-academia collaboration and establishment and maintenance of links with other stakeholders in innovation ecosystem. She has held several trainings on Business plan development, Open innovation, Technology Transfer and IP. She is a European IP Helpdesk Ambassador and active member of ASTP and ITTN. Tamara holds a Master’s degree in Business performance management.
Elodie is Patent Manager at the University of Liège. She is in charge of the evaluation of invention disclosures, the definition of strategies for invention protection, the preparation of patent drafting and the management of the patent portfolio of the University. She also gives seminars to raise the IP awareness of the researchers. She holds a PhD in Sciences and received training in Entrepreneurship, Technology Transfer and European Patent Law. She received the RTTP accreditation by the Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals.
Michel Morant is presently the Managing Director of the Knowledge Transfer Office of the University of Liege and the Hospital. Michel Morant graduated as MSEE and PhD. Je joined first the AEG Daimler-Benz group and in 1998, the University’s TTO. With about 45 staff members, more than 150 spin –off companies created, 20 licences a year, the ULiege Interface is today one of the more active KTO of Belgium. He is RTTP and CLP registered, and member of international associations as Curie, AUTM, IASP, TII, ASTP. He is the current President of LIEU, the Belgian association for knowledge transfer.
Olivier is an electromechanical engineer from the University of Liège. Since 2008, after starting his career in the industrial sector, he is a knowledge transfer manager at Uliège in the field of technology and also more and more in the field social sciences and humanities (SSH) with the objective of collaborative research projects, IP management, maturation, licensing, creation of spin-off companies. He is also the coordinator of the SSH working group of the LIEU network, in the board of several spin-off companies and interested in the societal impact of innovation (social entrepreneurship).
Prof. dr. Maja Levi Jakšić is a full professor at Faculty of Organizational Sciences of University of Belgrade (FON). She teaches Management of technology, innovation and development, Operations Management and Strategic Management. She is Head of the Department for Management of Technology, Innovation and Development at FON and is the leader of dual diploma MSc study programme in International Business and Management with Middlesex University.
Prof. dr. Radivoje Mitrovic is Dean of Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of University of Belgrade. He was the State Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia and he was the member of UNESCO Commission/representative of the Republic of Serbia. He was successful manager of various projects, studies and expertizes, and a workpackage manager and a local coordinator of European TEMPUS project IPROD.
Andrea Di Anselmo is a founding member of META Group and sits in the Board of Directors of META Ventures and of EURADA. He is the Vice-President of INSME, the International Association of SMEs. Andrea has 25 years of experience in innovation support and company creation, gained participating to international assignments and influencing strategic addresses as member of the BoD of intermediary organizations, research institutes, Business Angels Networks, Seed fund management companies and SMEs.
As head of the META Group tender office, Lorenzo Barabani has a long a wide experience in in monitoring the main European/national/local programs in order to identify tenders of interest for the company, in awareness raising on entrepreneurship, in delivering technological audits, in designing and implementing models for assessment of the innovation needs of companies.
Jacopo Gucciardi is the head of the IT department of META Group with specific expertise in web site development and design and optimization of management systems in MS SHAREPOINT 2016. He has a background in information engineering and specialised in the development of software for companies. In the most recent years he designed, developed and managed several web-based multi-tenant platforms at international level as parts of assignments and projects of META Group.
Dario is an expert in mentoring entrepreneurs and startups to scale up their business through international acceleration programs, and in helping researchers to exploit their research results and bridge the gap to market. He currently works for META Group, an international investment group, where he manages several international projects focused on fostering the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems, acts as advisor for the European Commission.
Marco Franchin is a Project Manager and an expert in EU policies, with extensive experience in carrying out development projects on research and innovation issues. He currently works for META Group, an international investment group, where he manages several international projects focused on fostering the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems and on the exploitation of research
