Transfer of sci-tech achievements proceeds at full pace

Technology contract turnover in Shanghai is expected to exceed 300 billion yuan (US$47 billion) by 2023, a newly revealed plan shows.

The city government recently released a three-year action plan to promote the transfer of sci-tech achievements in an effort to build the city into an innovation hub with global influence.

According to the plan, by 2023, the city will have at least 100 professional technology transfer institutions and more than 3,000 talented staff in this profession.

Notably, the plan underlines the big role of the medical sector in Shanghai's innovation landscape.

Medical institutions and professionals are encouraged to turn their brilliant ideas into marketable products, according to Lu Min, deputy director of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission.

"In a recent talk with doctors, professors from University of Shanghai for Science and Technology collected over 500 ideas and found over 100 had the potential to be turned into products," he said. "But who came to finally support it? Universities and hospitals have limited funds, and businesses are expected to invest in the early-stage research and development."

The plan also pinpoints the importance of universities in technology transfer.

In a pilot program, Shanghai Jiao Tong University on January 25 launched a one-stop service system to facilitate on-campus technology transfer. It streamlines administrative procedures and reduces approval time for applications from at least 30 days to within six days.

"In the first three months of this year, the school has witnessed nearly 60 findings to be transferred, and technology contract turnover has exceeded over 360 million yuan, far surpassing the same period last year," said Liu Qunyan from the university's Office of Research Management.

According to Shanghai Education Commission, 20 universities in Shanghai have set up their own technology transfer institutions, including Fudan and Tongji.