Technology management and transfer: from research to market

Turning a scientific research result into a product or service with impact requires understanding the stages and tools of technology management. This framework makes it possible to map the critical path from the laboratory hypothesis to commercialization.

1. The technology life cycle

Every technology goes through an evolution from its initial scientific conception to obsolescence:

Research and idea: Formulation of basic scientific principles.

Proof of concept (PoC): Initial experimental demonstration of technical feasibility.

Development and validation: Building working prototypes and testing them in relevant environments.

Demonstration in a real environment: Assessment of robustness and costs under real operating conditions.

Technology maturity: The technology becomes stable and ready for industrial scale-up.

2. The TRL scale and how it maps to the product cycle

To measure technical progress in a standardized way, the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) scale, created by NASA, is used:

TRL 1-2 (scientific phase): Formulation of basic principles and concepts.

TRL 3-5 (prototyping phase): Proof of concept and experimental validation in the laboratory.

TRL 6-7 (pilot phase): Validation and demonstration of prototypes at real scale.

TRL 8-9 (commercial phase): Finished system, launched on the market and ready to grow.

The key is to align the TRL scale with the Product Life Cycle (from prototype to commercial maturity), making sure development responds to a market opportunity.

3. Main technology transfer mechanisms

There are several ways to transfer university knowledge to the productive sector:

Licensing: A contract that gives a company the right to commercially exploit a protected technology. The institution keeps ownership and receives royalties.

Spin-off (EBCT): Creation of a science- and technology-based company led by researchers or entrepreneurs to scale the invention independently.

Collaborative R&D: An alliance between academia and industry to share resources and risks.

Technology contracts: Applying specialized knowledge to solve specific technical problems without transferring intellectual property.

4. Technology roadmap: the strategic route

A technology roadmap is a visual representation that connects scientific capabilities with business goals and social impact. It helps answer: Where is my technology today? What is missing to move to the next TRL? And when should it be transferred?

At Know Hub Chile, we apply these standards to support researchers and entrepreneurs, building lasting capabilities they can use on their own so that the value of science returns to the country.