Shaping the Future of Innovation: Socially Responsible Licensing at the Forefront
Innovators, policymakers, SMEs, researchers and other stakeholders from across Europe and beyond gathered at the conference Driving EU Prosperity: The Future of Knowledge Valorisation to discuss how research and innovation (R&I) can accelerate Europe’s economic resilience, strategic autonomy, and societal welfare. The event, which took place both in person and online, highlighted the EU's commitment to strengthening the valorisation of knowledge and research results to ensure the full potential of R&I investments is realised.
At RISE and EURICE, we are highly committed to the topics of knowledge valorisation and exploring the tools and valorisation practices that contribute to the better exploitation of the research results and create both economic and societal impact. Thus, it was a great pleasure to moderate the session titled: "How to Foster Societal Value Through Socially Responsible Licensing?". The session moderated by Ivana Vuka, PhD, Senior Innovation Manager at RISE, emphasised the importance of socially responsible licensing (SRL) as a valid practice.
RISE actively contributed to the discussions, reinforcing its role in fostering impactful collaborations between academia, industry, and policymakers for aligning societal goals with economic considerations, ensuring that innovations deliver maximum societal benefit in line with the broader European knowledge valorisation agenda.
Socially responsible licensing (SRL) is a critical approach to managing intellectual assets that prioritises societal values in the commercialisation of innovations. By ensuring that technologies remain accessible and impactful for society, SRL advances social goals while maintaining economic feasibility. This approach reflects the principles of the European knowledge valorisation agenda, driving positive societal change and fostering innovation.
The session featured Christine Coch, Legal Director at Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus, who brought a wealth of experience in implementing SRL principles introduced by the Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centres. Coch emphasised that Socially Responsible Licensing (SRL) is primarily a toolkit for knowledge institutions, ensuring that innovation serves societal needs rather than focusing solely on profit. She highlighted key differences from traditional licensing, such as prioritising access for positive impact and fostering credibility. While SRL originated in the health sector, it has broad applications across fields like artificial intelligence and educational tools. She acknowledged challenges, including misalignment of interests with companies, and called for greater awareness of the societal benefits SRL can bring, urging institutions to integrate it gradually and strategically. The session underscored the potential of SRL to create a thriving innovation ecosystem that prioritises social benefits while fostering economic viability.
With the projects currently running, such as the Impact Licensing Initiative, we are aiming to contribute to the landscape of hybrid impact licensing by creating a network of organisations and trainers able to screen the technologies but also create the quality label that will serve to allow organisations level of commitment and to evaluate different licencing agreements.
The conference, organised in the context of several recent EU policy initiatives, served as a platform to take stock of progress made in fostering knowledge valorisation and to chart the path forward. RISE initiatives, such as the Impact Licensing Initiative and European IP Helpdesk, exemplify its commitment to ensuring that innovation leads to tangible societal and economic benefits. Special emphasis is placed on supporting Widening countries, where enhancing research and innovation ecosystems is crucial for fostering inclusion, resilience, and sustainable growth across Europe. These efforts underscore the potential of approaches like SRL to create a thriving innovation ecosystem that delivers impactful solutions to societal challenges while harmonising societal benefits with economic sustainability.
