Enabling a Revolution, page-5

Fish,something from our new top scientist;

4 COMMERCIALIZATION
I thought about the numerous examples of Australian research underpinning commercial success. Should I mention Alan Trounson & Carl Wood’s successful commercialization of IVF through Monash IVF?

Should I mention Graeme Clarke’s successful commercialization of Cochlear implants? Professor Clarke will speak today so this topic will be well covered.
Graeme Jameson will talk today and I expect he will mention the successful commercialization of the Jameson Cell that contributes to billions of dollars worth of coal exports.

There are many other commercialization success stories for Australian research, including the Autostrad system developed by Hugh Durrant-Whyte. All of these are terrific stories, but the one I know best is the company I founded, Axon Instruments.

I left a postdoctoral research fellowship at the ANU to start Axon. Axon was profitable for 20 out of 21 years until it was sold to a US company in 2004.
What made Axon successful? Does its success share anything in common with the others that I mentioned or will be described today?

The first ingredient was that Axon was founded with a product in mind, not just a technology. This is generally true of the other commercialization success stories.

The second ingredient was an enthusiastic researcher—me in this case—to sell the vision. This is also true of the other success stories.

The third ingredient was that Axon’s products were internationally relevant. This, too, applies to the other success stories.

The fourth ingredient was that we collaborated with scientists at several universities. Their needs drove our vision and their expertise inspired our innovation. Collaboration with industry also features strongly in the other commercialization success stories.

Finally, a little recognized ingredient for Axon’s success is that its commencement was not impeded by a university.

During my career I have seen several good ideas stifled by excessive university bureaucracy. This is not a problem that is unique to Universities. I have also seen good ideas stifled in deals between companies, usually as a result of the excessive determination by lawyers to write one-sided agreements.

The moral of this last point? Universities and research institutes should a) be generous, and b) facilitate. In the last twenty years, understanding of these imperatives has improved substantially. I think that most universities and research institutes today are committed to facilitating commercialization by their researchers rather than setting hurdles, but it never hurts to repeat the warning.


http://www.arc.gov.au/news-media/me...research-outcomes-forum-speech-dr-alan-finkel



Lets trust there are no impediments to commercialisation of Ionic Industries products.

I reckon Mainak Majumder approaching MM proves he's commercially focused, I think he's developed a bloody good team which has provided the means for Ionic to capitalise on,should the products do as well as we think they will.

Memo to ausheds,can you tell MM to put the product tree on all the ASX reports and announcements please ausheds, no point hiding it under a bushel.

Raider