Presenting results arising from research and development (R&D) as well as scientific expertise to companies is a major concern of universities, research organizations and technology centers in Spain and abroad.

While direct contact with potential customers is the shortest way, intermediaries organized around technology transfer networks (with different purposes as technology diffusion, knowledge sharing, social interaction, open innovation...) are a fundamental key to enter massively the market.

In essence, transfer networks of both technology and knowledge are constituted by a set of professionals in several fields as technology transfer, technology management, R&D advising, innovation consultancy, etc. both formally and informally established.

From simple management of e-mail address book from personal contacts to the complex coordination of multiple institutions, there are a wide range of technology transfer networks. Whatever the type, all technology transfer networks are designed to link knowledge generation with its commercial exploitation through the creation of business innovation.

Focus on industry sector versus geographic location

Despite the small number of existing technology transfer networks, a first approach permits to appreciate the abundance of some networks whose creation responds to a geographical division.

In the case of Spain, some regional technology transfer networks are the Network of Universities for the promotion of Research, Development and Innovation in the Valencian region (RUVID) or the Association IK4 Research Alliance, which groups several technology centers in the Basque region. Likewise, the technology transfer network of the Spanish Association of Science and Technology Parks (APTE) or the Network of foreign Offices of the Spanish Technology Development Agency (CDTI) are example of national and international cases, respectively.

Beyond the regional location, there are networks targeting a specific sector, which certainly seems a more effective way to reach a greater number of companies, such as the Technology Transfer Network Set at Work, which deals exclusively with environmentally sustainable technologies.

Diversity in technology transfer networks

The technology transfer professionals have at their disposal various types of networks which, in practice, are used as working tools to provide different services according to each one of them.

• Networks of technology diffusion. Networks aimed primarily at the promotion of technology opportunities (meeting place between technology generators and users) and partner searches for collaborative R&D -mainly public funded- . Amongst these highlights the Enterprise Europe Network, supported by the European Commission and heir to the successful Innovation Relay Center Network (IRC Network), "the largest technology transfer network in the world," according to one of his old slogans. Also fall under this heading the NTTC (National Technology Transfer Centers) in the US or the international TTN (Technology Transfer Network).

• Networks of knowledge sharing. These are networks aimed at exchanging knowledge through questions and answers on a online community, which even may have experts on very specific topics on knowledge transfer. The network promoted by the University of Manchester The Knowledge Vine is one of their banners. It is a virtual reflection of the “word of mouth” phenomenon or the informal discussions among professionals of the transfer of technology.

• Networks of social interaction. They are Networks that go a step beyond the above and even beyond the field of technology transfer. They are based on a high degree of interaction between participants and is not produced only an exchange of knowledge, but the discussion of relevant issues, organization of surveys , professional networking, events arranging, and of course, the diffusion of information on both technology and R & D. GINNN network (Global Innovation Network) promoted by the network of technology transfer offices in the UK (AURIL) is an example. Likewise i-Techpartner is a network of collaborative innovation driven by the European Commission through the PRO INNO EUROPE program, or GESTORES ITT, an online social network for technology transfer professionals in Spanish.

• Brokers and private consultants. Networks by mean of personal contacts from brokerage firms (private consultants or brokers for innovation and technology transfer). The services offered can follow the market pull approach to seek solutions to their client´s technology needs, such as NineSigma, or the technology push approach to locate potential technology licensees, such as UTEK or BTG.

• Open innovation networks. Technology transfer networks in which firms are who take the initiative to look for technologies or research they need. They use the mechanism of launching a technology need or "technical challenge" that is distributed to a legion of researchers and scientists. Examples are InnoCentive, one of the most admired technology transfer models in recent years, Innoget (before known as Connectainnova), the network pioneered of open innovation in Spain, or the recent Innoversia with a Latin focus and promoted by the transnational Network of Universities Universia.

• Enterprise Networks. Networks of Innovation and technology transfer made by large companies that need to create a more stable and intense relationships with suppliers of scientific and technological environment, both academic and business. In Spain, Iberdrola has taken this path in the wake of big brands like Procter & Gamble, IBM and BMW, which is known as open innovation, collaborative innovation, network innovation or virtual innovation network.

• Networks of technological showcase. More than technology transfer networks in themselves, these initiatives fit better under the concept of technology web portal (technology market place or technology showcase). Such initiatives are very frequent as the CORDIS technology market, or private portals as YET2, SPARKIP, iBridgeNetwork or DIPINNOVA. Likewise, technology showrooms at large national research laboratories could be also considered, e.g. the Spanish Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) or the European Space Agency (ESA) and the American one (NASA). Finally, at lower level, it might be considered websites for presenting available technology at any technology transfer office from the university, as the Spanish Miguel Hernández University or even research units inside the university, as the Grupo M de Redes y Middleware from the University of Alicante.

• Institutional networks. Technology transfer networks that unite under one umbrella to similar nature entities that share managerial functions, promotion, best practices, marketing of available technologies , etc. This would apply to the Network of Spanish technology Transfer Offices in Universities (OTRI Network), and in a regional scale in Spain, the technology transfer network of the Andalusian region (RATRI) or the Network Innovation Centers and Business Development in Canary Islands (CIDE).

• Technology transfer associations. Networks created as associations of entities engaged in technology transfer issues. Managers Association of university technology transfer (AUTM), in U.S., or the European equivalent PROTON Europe are some samples.

Towards social networks

Apart from the above classification, and in the practice of transfer both technology and knowledge, the real network value is the relationship between its members. Trust between network components and their qualities are undoubtedly the most valuable assets, regardless of public or economic support in behind. In fact, many informal relationships between technology transfer staff -at different organizations- possess a high potential for technology transfer due to the capacity to reach many personal contacts (viral effect).

In this sense, the arising of technology transfer networks grows in parallel to social networks on the Internet. These are networks that move with an unstoppable force, from a personal, like Facebook or MySpace, or professional way, such as Xing or LinkedIn.

There is no doubt that In the near future these initiatives will converge with existing technology transfer networks to complement each other. Proof of this are groups that are created on social networking sites with members of universities, technology centers or technology transfer networks, who see these platforms as a new conversation channel to reach companies, which are also there.

In the final analysis, the purpose is to connect science with society, and in a medium term, citizens will be found on the Internet.

Image: Anthony Reeves (vía flickr), some rights reserved.

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