Over eight weeks, the participants learned fundamental content to build baseline capabilities that will help them take on innovation and entrepreneurship projects and challenges. The initiative is part of the university’s “Innovation in Higher Education (InES)” project.
“The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Leveling Program was an excellent opportunity to access relevant tools and information for project formulation, technology transfer, production scale-up and patenting, among other topics we covered. Regardless of the discipline, these tools are essential for those of us researchers who take part in formulating and leading public and private projects,” said Dr. Sandra Bravo, academic and Director of the Aquaculture Institute of the Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh), Puerto Montt campus.
Dr. Bravo was one of the 40 UACh researchers, graduate students and technology managers who took part in the program run by Know Hub Chile, an organization that works with its partners and the ecosystem to turn science and technology into innovation. To do so, it runs a series of programs, such as Know Hub Building, which includes several activities such as the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Leveling Program. UACh is one of Know Hub Chile’s 11 partner institutions and sits on its board.
This joint work between the two institutions is backed by the project “Strengthening, integration and projection of institutional capabilities for R&D-based innovation at UACh.” The initiative was awarded to the Development and Innovation Department of the Vice-Rectorate for Research, Development and Artistic Creation (VIDCA) and is co-funded by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation through its “Innovation in Higher Education (InES)” line.
“We are pleased to have completed the first edition of this program, with high attendance and active participation from our university’s academics and professionals. With this program, we wanted to offer the university community a comprehensive training opportunity that provides, in general terms, the tools needed to develop innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives. Know Hub is our natural ally for this type of activity because, in addition to being our partner, it has specialized in this area of innovation,” explained Germán Rehren, Director of the Development and Innovation Department of VIDCA UACh.
He added that “we will soon launch a second edition of the program, so that more academics can learn about and train in these topics, and continue strengthening the culture of innovation at our institution.”
The Know Hub Building Program provides fundamental content to build baseline capabilities for taking on innovation and entrepreneurship projects and challenges. The eight sessions covered topics related to innovation management processes, intellectual property, technology transfer and science- and technology-based entrepreneurship.
“One of Know Hub Chile’s purposes is to contribute to a cultural transformation: for academics and future generations of scientists to have the tools to bring their research and technologies ever closer to society and the market. This program seeks to give them a first introduction to topics that can be useful to them, from giving a new focus to their project applications to being encouraged to create their own science- and technology-based venture,” said Javier Ramírez, Executive Director of Know Hub Chile.
He added: “Not only the attendance, but also the participation of the academics, students and technology transfer managers was truly incredible. We are very happy to have a partner like UACh, so committed to science-based innovation.”
What the participants said
“The program has been a great opportunity to understand the processes and learn about the tools for creating technology-based companies, linked to our work as researchers in an Engineering faculty. Today it is essential that applied R&D be developed with global challenges in mind, so the effective transfer of our knowledge is key to the development of the southern macrozone and the country,” said Dr. Cristian Cifuentes, academic at the Institute of Naval and Maritime Sciences and coordinator of the R&D office of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences.
Dr. Daniel Bravo, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and UACh Executive Director of the Ciencia 2030 Program, Consorcio Sur Sub Antártico, expressed a similar view: “I think it was a very good experience, with eight excellent classes full of content, explanations and answers to our questions from the Know Hub team. All very relevant to start accelerating change and bringing the Faculty of Sciences closer to science- and technology-based innovation and entrepreneurship. Exactly what we are seeking to do at UACh through the Ci2030 project.”
We hope to share news about the second edition of the program soon.
