Technology Transfer in Denmark

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The National Network of Technology Transfer

Background
The law concerning inventions at public research institutions (L347) of June 1999 focuses on the increasing co-operation between research institutions and businesses to make new knowledge and competence available to Danish society.

Among other things, the law permits research institutions to take over rights to inventions made by their employees, and obliges the institutions to try to commercialise the inventions they have taken over.

Experience from other countries provides clear evidence that a law like L347 is the proper approach towards fruitful collaboration between research institutions and businesses - to the benefit of the society they are part of.

The potentially conflicting interests of the research institutions and businesses in areas such as publishing and utilisation of research results often makes it difficult in actual practice, however, to enter into optimal agreements on collaboration.

To attain the goals of the law mentioned above, it is therefore very important that both public research institutions and businesses understand and respect the various conditions relating to the activities of the other party.

Aim
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation established in 2000 five patent consortia to deal with patenting and to create further collaboration between public research institutions and businesses.

Today the patent consortias has been substituted for The National Network for Technology Transfer - techtrans.dk.

The aim of the network is to provide a cross country forum where public researchers and staff from companies involved in commercialisation can develop competences, build knowledge and methods as well as share experience in connection with the patenting process and in dealing with immaterial rights (IPR).

The Network Organisation
The members of The National Network for Technology Transfer represent universities, national research laboratories and public hospitals.

Currently the network holds 25 members: 11 universities, 9 national research laboratories and 5 hospitals. See the list of current members (link under construction).

Every member institution has a contact person, who ensures that all personnel knows about activities within the network and is the core person in collecting feedback from personnel to the network secretariat.

The network activities supports the sharing of competences, knowledge and methods involved in technology transfer and supports a increased collaboration between public and private companies in regards to commercialisation, nationally and internationally.

Network activities cover a broad range from courses, workshops and conferences to appointment of think tanks, national poster campaigns and initiating public debates.

The network has been set up for a period of four years, ending in 2008.

Contact
The Secretariat for The national Network for Technology Transfer - techtrans.dk

Head of office:

Dr. Gert Balling, e-mail: gba@adm.dtu.dk

Secretary:

Lis Tornbjeg, e-mail: lit@adm.dtu.dk

Member Institutions
The purpose of commercialising an institution’s inventions is two-fold:

1.	so that research results may benefit society

2.	so that income from sale or licensing can lead to further research

The local patent offices provide administrative advice within the individual institutions. They will typically become involved in connection with negotiations dealing with the use of immaterial rights owned by the given institution.

Danish members of the network are parted in three categories:

•	Public universities

As of January 1st 2000 all university employees are obliged to report inventions to their institution. If the university decides to take over the rights to the invention, it must assist in seeing to it that the invention is used commercially.

It is important to stress that universities are not to be viewed as extensions of the companies´ own product oriented laboratories.

Rather, the universities´ task is to ensure that research results which have a certain probability of being used commercially will be patented.

11 universities are members of the National Network (link under construction)

•	National research laboratories

The main task of the national research laboratories is to provide appropriate assistance in the development of the areas covered by the institution’s research.

Furthermore, the national research laboratories contribute to various teaching activities in collaboration with universities and other institutions of higher education.

The respective research laboratories are typically attached to a relevant ministerial department.

It is important to stress that National research laboratories are not to be viewed as extensions of the companies´ own product-oriented laboratories. Rather, the National research laboratories´ task is to ensure that research results which have a certain probability of being used commercially will be patented.

9 National research laboratories are members of the National Network (link under construction)

•	Public Hospitals

As of January 1, 2000 all hospital employees are obliged to report inventions to the institution. If the hospital decides to take over the rights to the invention, it must assist in seeing to it that the invention is used commercially.

It is important to stress that hospitals are not to be viewed as extensions of the companies´ own product-oriented laboratories. Rather, the hospitals´ task is to make sure that research results which might be used commercially will be patented.

Note that representatives from the university hospitals in Denmark have recently prepared a set of common guidelines. With these guidelines for entering into research contracts, the university hospitals wish to optimise and increase collaboration on research and development between research institutions at the university hospitals and private companies.

Download the pdf-version of Guidelines for Teaching Hospitals for Entering into Research Agreements, edited by the Danish Teaching Hospitals. See the web based manual for the general framework when the teaching hospitals enter into research agreements with private undertakings.

5 public university hospitals are members of the National Network (link under construction)

Press Room
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In matters concerning contact to spokespersons, interviews, and relevant information, we kindly ask journalists and other parties to get in touch with Dr. Gert Balling.

News 2005-08-31 Here you find the latest English version regarding tax consequences: Free transfer of shares to researchers.

The Danish Vice chancellorship's Conference and The Confederation of Danish Industries: Contacts, contracts and codices (pdf) with the subtitle Research co-operation between universities and companies contrats and cod.pdf.

Promoting university interaction with business and society - a comparative study of Finland, Sweden, and the UK (doc) commissioned by the Danish Ministry of Science & Technology.

The Evaluation of the Danish Act of Inventions at Public Research Institutions (pdf) of June 2004

Links
Here you find links to further websites containing relevant information.

•	The Danish Technology Portal Technology Denmark gives you quick access to news and information about technology from GTS - Advanced Technology Group, a network of ten independent Danish research and technology organisations.

You also have links to regional sources of information - at the moment only for the southern part of Denmark and the area around Aarhus:

•	4frontregion An "advance guard", located in the southern part of Denmark, for innovation and collaboration between public research, business environments, and public authorities. •	BioMedico Forum Information about the biotechnological and medico-technological network around Aarhus.

•	Investment Location Region Aarhus Description of the strengths of the biomedico-environments in Aarhus.

The legal and political foundation of the Danish technology transfer is expressed in Bill for an Act on Technology Transfer, etc. at Public Research Institutions (pdf). Introduced on 10 March 2004 by the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation.

Further more please note the Evaluation of the Danish Act of Inventions at Public Research Institutions (pdf) of June 2004.