Technology to market: The Fluorine Lady's coming, please rinse

From a nobody to somebody. In an EU project, experts in market benefit and business models can feel that they are working in the shadow of technical developments, but, when the penny drops, the popularity increases. Ulrika Wahlström at IMCG is Innovation Project Manager and leads work packages that are often called something like "exploitation, innovation management, dissemination and business models" in many EU projects. This means that she leads the work to move the innovative technologies that are tested in the project closer to the market. Read her chronicle, where she compares herself with the Fluorine Lady.   

CHRONICLE. Those of you born in Sweden during the 60s, 70s or 80s surely remember the Fluorine Lady? She was the one who appeared at school with loads of plastic glasses full of liquid that had to be gurgled in the mouth. No one really understood what good she was doing, she wasn't very popular, but we put up with it because it was a break from classes. It was only long after that we realised that she was helping to do something good.

We have the goal to reach the market, how do you think to do it?

A H2020 project, focusing on innovation, consists of a number of work teams working with technology to be developed, refined, tested and demonstrated. Those working in these work teams are extremely knowledgeable about their areas of expertise and they are developing fantastic solutions. However, if it is going to be possible for them to benefit the market and contribute to a more sustainable world, more is needed. This is where people like me and my team enter the picture. Like a Fluorine Lady, I arrive with an unwanted tray. Not full of glasses of fluorine, but with questions that must be answered:

• Who owns what you have developed?
• Have you got investors who are willing to invest in the technology being released on the market?
• Are you certain that the solution is sustainable and complies with increasingly stricter statutory regulations?
• Do you know who the customer is and does the customer know what they should demand?
• Do you know who the competitors are?
• Does the market know that there is a new product/service?

When the market benefit is allowed to stand centre stage

During the first year of a project, I believe that the other project partners see me as a small interruption in the detailed technological presentations during our meetings. I talk about the market, about 'impact', about making a difference, not working in ivory towers and the importance of taking a comprehensive view. I am certainly, quite honestly, not very popular. However, that is mainly because they do not understand the value of what I am saying. Yet. However, roughly two years into the project something suddenly happens. Those working together to develop the new solutions start to discern something that could actually be marketed and make the world a better place. Then, they start to ask themselves, 'But, who really owns what we have developed?'. Where should we sell this solution? They remember that there was someone who talked about the importance of checking "the IP issue", ownership and assessing whether the business model holds. This is when my work package becomes popular, and I am allowed many more minutes for my presentations. People contact me and want to book meetings and briefings. A fantastic time!

Balance between focus on technology and strategies for increased market benefit

Coming up, we have a kick-off with our new H2020 project, FlexiGrid. I intend to talk there about the lessons we have learned at IMCG from previous projects. It is also my ambition that gets the whole project to swallow the fact that, if we are going to make a difference, there must be just as much focus on strategies for increased market benefit as there is on technology. I want us to meet the market together with a happy smiles on our faces, pleased that we managed any potential obstacles early on, allowing the innovation to reach the market. Wonderful!

You have just read an Insights story by IMCG International. As of 1.1.2023, IMCG is part of Spinverse.