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Impact Licensing Initiative Building the ecosystem for impact-driven technology transfer in Europe

Impact Licensing Initiative
  • Developing an integrated toolkit, training programmes and a growing network of intermediaries to bring impact licensing into everyday practice across Europe
  • Building a Network of Technology Transfer Facilities for Impacts (TT4I) that broker impact licensing agreements and connect technologies with the unmet societal needs
  • Repurposing existing technologies and data for new societal and commercial use cases
  • Training a new generation of impact licensing and data stewardship professionals through dedicated courses and a train-the-trainer programme
  • RISE leads outreach to Widening countries and regions and, through the TT4I network, contributes to the screening of technologies with potential for wider deployment

What the project is about

Many promising technologies and research results struggle to move beyond their original market, particularly where conventional licensing does not fit societal needs or under-resourced markets. The Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI) responds to this challenge by developing a validated impact licensing toolkit, training programmes and a growing network of clearing houses (TT4Is) that screen, license and extend technologies into these underserved contexts. Owners keep their existing markets and IP rights intact, while the licence opens the door to new users, real-world feedback and additional returns – a structure built to work for both sides, across various domains.

Why it matters

When technologies stay locked to a single market, both their owners and the communities that could use them lose out. ILI's role as a connective layer between technology owners, TT4Is and users is designed to change that, with particular attention to regions where access to funding, partners and markets remains limited. Built to operate beyond the project's duration, this connective infrastructure strengthens Europe's ability to turn research into lasting impact.

Our role in the project

  • Leading the establishment of TT4I network across Europe and co-delivering the train-the-trainer programme on data stewardship and impact licensing.
  • Co-organising, with EURICE, the recruitment and expansion of the EU-wide Community of Practice, with particular attention to bringing in partners from Widening countries and regions.
  • Contributing to the creation and the feeding of the EU-wide IP-pool of impact licensed technologies.
  • Organising, with EURICE, onsite and online awareness raising events and workshops.
  • As a member of the TT4I network, the operational layer of ILI, contributing to the screening of technologies with potential for deployment in different contexts.
  • Contributing to public policy briefs and case studies documenting lessons and best practice from the TT4I network development.
Our role in the project

Want to know more?

Visit VALORISATION PRACTICES, our innovation ecosystem for intellectual asset management and knowledge valorisation, to explore more projects, tools and initiatives supporting collaborative R&I.

Project Facts & Figures

Full title
ILI – Impact Licensing Initiative
Programme
Horizon Europe & sub-programmes
Duration
36 months (August 2024 – July 2027)
Budget
EUR 2,000,000.00
Project website
https://impactlicensing.eu