Scaling up innovative sustainable bio-based products: Case of Aalto University
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Journal Title
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Kemian tekniikan korkeakoulu |
Master's thesis
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Authors
Date
2024-08-29
Department
Major/Subject
Creative Sustainability
Mcode
Degree programme
Master's Programme in Creative Sustainability (CS)
Language
en
Pages
75 + 7
Series
Abstract
Beyond its role in widespread education and research, academia has an important role in driving impact and creating positive changes in society. One vehicle for universities to create impact is through the creation of university spin-offs (USOs). With the global need for more sustainable, better alternatives for the current fossil products on the rise, the focus on exploring bio-innovations as alternatives is imminent. This study uncovers the academic research commercialization process, identifying pathway and the barriers and enablers of USOs manufacturing bio-based products to spinout. A cross-sectional qualitative study of seven bio-based USOs from Aalto University is done. Inductive-thematic analysis is used to analyze fourteen in-depth interviews with 7 Aalto University’s bio-based USOs are selected through the university’s research innovation services database. The findings confirms that the development process follows the 4-stage journey of spin-off theory, which includes 4 milestones: research, opportunity framing, finalizing venture projects and launching of spin-off firms. There are twenty-four identified barriers and enablers, with most are dominated by factors related to the business side of innovation commercialization. Barriers and enablers surround multidisciplinary teams, funding, market entry, and business models. Factors that are special in the case of bio-based innovations are the long development timeline, research and development challenges, and gap of funding for commercialization to scale-up manufacturing. LCA is mentioned as one of the enablers to communicate to investors and to align USOs with sustainable values. Factors that are found to emerge as important bottlenecks to tackle are challenges in IPR handling and funding gap they are correlated other identified barriers, such as hindrance in research and development, scaling up and market entrance. Acknowledging the technical complexity of bio-based innovations, through pre-incubation while supporting the development of technology-driven sustainability assessments is recommended to increase the chances of USOs in overcoming barriers in spinning out.Description
Supervisor
Dessbesell, LuanaThesis advisor
Ginting-Szczesny , BernadettaKeywords
USO, bio-based innovations, research commercialization, scaling-up technology