LERU twenty-one member universities have applied for more than 1,040 patents and created 730 spin-offs

Frontpage of <i>Open for business</i>.
Frontpage of Open for business.
(02/06/2014)

Open for business is the title of the new document that the League of European Research Universities (LERU) has just published. It describes some of the exciting ways in which LERU members engage in enterprise and innovation. The document collects many data, for instance it states that in 2013 LERU members applied for 1,040 patents, signed 850 licences agreements, created 730 spin-offs and set up 9,400 collaboration agreements with companies. In addition, it is important to highlight that LERU universities provide employment for more than 100,000 people.

Frontpage of <i>Open for business</i>.
Frontpage of Open for business.
02/06/2014

Open for business is the title of the new document that the League of European Research Universities (LERU) has just published. It describes some of the exciting ways in which LERU members engage in enterprise and innovation. The document collects many data, for instance it states that in 2013 LERU members applied for 1,040 patents, signed 850 licences agreements, created 730 spin-offs and set up 9,400 collaboration agreements with companies. In addition, it is important to highlight that LERU universities provide employment for more than 100,000 people.

In 2013, LERU decided to embark upon the creation of the Enterprise and Innovation Community in order to further build on the collective strengths of the members for the social and economic benefit of Europe. LERUʼs main objectives are: to create effective networks in order to promote an even greater commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation and working with industry, to share and spread good practices, and to communicate the activities of the Enterprise and Innovation Community to the world.

Open for business describes the activities that are already under way at each LERU university in the field of enterprise and innovation. The document includes two pages focused on the University of Barcelona. It presents UB organizations and departments focused on knowledge transfer and innovation: the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation (coordinator of these two pages), the Patents Centre, the Scientific and Technological Centres, the Barcelona Science Park and the Institute for Lifelong Learning IL3. Moreover, the document describes the creation processes of the Centre for Innovation and Advanced Technologies of the University of Barcelona (CITA-UB) and the Barcelona Entrepreneurship Institute (BIE). It also tells two success stories: the patents licensed to the French company Ceeram on a kit for monitoring and quantifying Hepatitis A virus and enteric viruses in food, environmental and clinical samples, developed by the Department of Microbiology of UB; or the on-going collaboration (since 1996) between the company La Farga Lacambra and the Process and Material Design and Optimisation Centre (DIOPMA) of UB. The double-page also highlights some key data concerning the University of Barcelona: 25 million € income from R&D&I projects, technical services and consultancy with companies and institutions; 1.2 million € income from corporate training; and more than 200 priority patent applications between 2006 and 2013.