University College Dublin Partnering in a New European Project to Support Scenario-based IP Licensing

Pictured are members of the Impac3T-IP project at the kick-off meeting in Brussels, Belgium. (Credit: META Group).

University College Dublin Partnering in a New European Project to Support Scenario-based IP Licensing

University College Dublin, through NovaUCD, is partnering in a new Horizon Europe funded project to develop, pilot and roll-out a new tool-box to improve the efficiency of licencing Intellectual Property (IP).

The 3-year, IMPAC3T-IP project, which kicked-off earlier this week, will support licensing that goes beyond classical scenarios and embrace new technology trends in digitalisation of licensing tools. The European Commission funded project aims to benefit licensing professionals, researchers, innovative enterprises and policy makers.

NovaUCD is the hub of knowledge transfer and valorisation activities at UCD. The knowledge transfer team is responsible for commercialising research outputs, from across the UCD campus, through the licensing of IP such as patents, know-how, databases and copyright materials to businesses and industry, and for the development of spin-out companies.

The focus of the IMPAC3T-IP project is to develop a modern ‘tool-box’ to support licensing with a focus on 3 main scenarios:

  • Classical+ - licensing beyond the traditional industrial rights for inventions (patents and trademarks), into more modern bundles of rights needed to license digital technologies, including IoT, AI, machine learning and mobile technologies, e.g. data sharing and standards essential patents (SEP) as well as ‘long tail’ licensing (high volume, low price).
  • Crisis – supporting rapid voluntary licensing under different legislative regimes and standard and non-standard conditions e.g. through voluntary royalty free licensing in times of medical crises, natural disasters and geopolitical conflict.
  • Co-creation – supporting licensing of intellectual assets that have been created through complex partnerships with multiple owners and diverse licensing objectives which are increasingly encountered when responding to societal challenges.

The development of the IP tool-box will take place with the support of Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The SIGs will advise on the three scenarios as well as emerging technology trends in licensing, e.g. increasing use of AI and blockchain technologies.

UCD, through NovaUCD, is leading the work package that coordinates the activities of the SIGs in defining the scenarios, producing case studies across the three scenarios and identifying the opportunities for new tools to increase the impact of licencing.

In addition to UCD, the other IMPAC3T-IP project partners are; META Srl (Italy), Universidad de Alicante (Spain), Demola (Finland), Areopa, (Belgium), Atrineo (Germany), ASTP (Netherlands). e-Lucid (UK) is an associate partner.

Take-up and use of the IP-tool box will be supported by an IMPACT3T IP Academy. This will offer a fully subsidised training courses for individuals across Europe wanting to become a certified IMPAC3T-IP ‘user’ and ‘trainer’, as part of a recognised Knowledge Transfer Professional qualification.

ENDS

15 December 2023

For further information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, NovaUCD, UCD Research and Innovation, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie or Clémence Contant, Communication Manager, META, e: c.contant@meta-group.com

Editors Notes

IMPAC3T-IP is an EU-funded project that addresses scenario-based licensing for stakeholders in the IP value chain. The 3-year project is funded by the European Commission and commenced in December 2023.