The path from research to commercialisation is rarely a straight one.
Research is, of course, a fundamental driver of innovation. The explosion of AI-enabled products and services that we see today, for instance, was only made possible by the hard work of researchers over decades in computer and linguistics labs across the globe.
Conversely, commercial success can help fund future research, securing continued progress. Achieving such success requires the ability to translate innovations and tools developed in laboratories into services that solve real-world problems in a cost-effective manner.
Bridging the gap between these two worlds is a necessity for research communities that want to maximise their impact and ensure long-term sustainability. This is particularly true for Europe’s Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in High Performance Computing, which sit at the intersection of cutting-edge science and real-world application, seeking to be catalysts for innovation.
It was with this challenge in mind that a group of CoEs came together to produce a new white paper: Guidance and Best Practices for European Centres of Excellence in High Performance Computing Aiming to Build Their Commercialisation Capabilities.
The document recognises that while CoEs have been remarkably successful in advancing computational research across fields such as climate, energy, engineering and life sciences, turning those breakthroughs into services that deliver value beyond the lab requires a separate set of tools.
The white paper is designed as a practical resource for those tasked with navigating this transition such as CoE coordinators, innovation managers and business developers. It provides them with a structured approach to commercialisation, helping them formulate appropriate strategies.
Key sections of the white paper include:
- Stakeholders and Value Proposition: How understanding user needs and building communities shapes strong service offerings.
- From Research to Service: Methods to identify and develop services from technical results using readiness level frameworks
- Business Models and Legal Structures: How CoEs can navigate legal options and build sustainable commercial entities.
- Lessons Learned: Real-life examples from CoEs
- Recommendations: From piloting early with SMEs, Midcaps and Big caps to building strategic alliances and investing in innovation management.
- Vision for the Future: Outlines a path to self-sustaining CoEs capable of delivering long-term value across sectors.
By setting out concrete steps, lessons learned and tested practices, the paper helps readers understand how to identify opportunities, build the right partnerships, and establish appropriate governance and business models.
Developed within the Taskforce for the Sustainability Vision for CoEs, the white paper captures the combined expertise of BioExcel, ChEESE, ESiWACE, EXCELLERAT, HiDALGO2 and MultiXscale. Its development and dissemination is supported by the CASTIEL2 project.
Read the white paper and contribute
The white paper is freely available on ResearchGate and Zenodo, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.28093.58083
Interested in collaborating or learning more? Join the discussion and contribute to shaping the future of the European CoE ecosystem by visiting https://hpc-portal.eu or sharing your feedback on the white paper here.
