A bridge between public research and companies interested in improving their competitiveness through innovation.

Chi siamo

Network for research valorisation

Netval is a recognised association that today brings together 65 universities, 16 PROs, 16 IRCCS and 7 other members.

Founded in 2002 as an informal network between universities, Netval became an association in 2007 and opened its doors to non-university members.

Its mission is the valorisation of public research, also and above all through the creation of a community of professional TTO managers (more than 400 in 20 years).

In the Italian context, as of 13th April 2023, Netval members represent:

99 %

of all Italian universities involved in technology transfer

94,3 %

of university teachers

95,4 %

of university teachers in scientific and technological disciplines

99,1 %

of the total number of public research spin-off companies (n=1,688)

about us

A technology transfer network and third mission

Netval was created shortly after the so-called Tremonti Regulation, known as le invenzioni agli inventori" (art. 7, l. 383/2001). This reform has been strongly criticised by academia, industry and public research. It hampers contacts between industry and research and complicates the creation of technology transfer offices in research institutions. Against this background, Italian universities, which were already working on setting up technology transfer offices, found themselves in a legislative context that made the already difficult task of transferring the results of public research even more difficult.

Therefore, in November 2001, the Politecnico di Milano organised a collective meeting - with the participation of all Italian universities - to establish common objectives and strategies in order not to stop the development of technology transfer offices.

No less than 27 universities participated in Milan. This fruitful meeting led, in November 2002, to the signing by 28 Rectors of a Memorandum of Understanding on best practices to make the technology transfer process and the economic impact of the Italian public research innovation ecosystem more fluid, homogeneous and efficient. The main objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding are as follows:

To harmonise the principles and criteria that will inspire action on patenting, the creation of spin-offs and technology transfer.
To harmonise the legal instruments to be used in the future by establishing basic rules in the areas mentioned in the previous point.
Provide information to enhance the possibilities for research cooperation on patenting issues and patentable results, also with a view to identifying appropriate conditions for increasing the economic impact of research results, both through licensing and by assessing the conditions for the creation of spin-offs and business incubation.

From 2003 to 2007, Netval, in collaboration with associated and interested universities, organised cycles of training activities on the public research valorisation process.

On 11 September 2007, the association Netval - Network for research valorisation was founded.

ABOUT US

Mission:

01 SHARING

sharing and strengthening the competencies of universities, PROs and IRCCS in the field of research exploitation.

02 PROMOTION

to promote the culture and best practices of technology transfer by acting as an institutional interface and hinge with the business world.

03 SUPPORT

to support technology transfer offices in their valorisation and dissemination activities.

Since 2002, Netval has been publishing the annual Netval Report: a collection of monitoring data on the development and evolution of technology transfer (and third mission) in Italy.

To date, Netval offers the most comprehensive training programme in Italy on the valorisation of public research results.

Values:

01 PEOPLE

02 COMPETENCE

03 AUTHORITY

04 SHARING

Netval is a relational, spontaneous and inclusive network. It is a bridge between people and institutions.

a community of more than 500 technology transfer professionals has been created on the basis of professionalism developed over more than 20 years of experience.

recognised as a reference partner by national and international institutions. It works with the various stakeholders to contribute to the improvement of the national system.

Netval is the "House of Valorisation of Italian Public Research": a place for the exchange of best practices to generate impact.

The main projects through which NETVAL fulfils its mission are

training
participation in the European ASTP network
dissemination of technology transfer
monitoring and publication of the Netval report
networking
realisation and support of the Knowledge Share project in collaboration with the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (MIMIT-UIBM) and the Politecnico di Torino
realisation of the portal www.spinoffitalia.it in collaboration with the Politecnico of Marche

Where Innovation Happens

Knowledge Share platform is a joint venture involving Netval, the Italian Patent and Trademark Office (UIBM) at MIMIT (Ministry Of Enterprises and Made in Italy) and the Politecnico di Torino. It showcases R&D technologies developed by Italian Universities and Research Centres, in pursuit of collaboration and commercialisation opportunities.

Knowledge Share is a platform dedicated to the exploitation of research results fed by universities, IRCCSs and EPRs in the country.

Our aim is to make the contents of patents easily accessible, to convey in a clear and simple way the advantages that technologies can bring to the sectors they target, and to connect the world of business, investors and innovators with that of research.

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