Nazar Podolchak, Director of Tech StartUp School, tells about technology transfer and commercialization of startups

VALENTYNA SOFILKANYCH, LVIV POLYTECHNIC CENTER FOR COMMUNICATION
Назар Подольчак

Scientific developments must not remain on paper, they must be implemented and, most importantly, commercialized and bring financial benefits. Today, almost all Polytechnicians deal with this issue, because most Institutes do have developments that are worth showing to the world, and which will be relevant in the market of technologies and startups.

Many tools have been created at Lviv Polytechnic, which actually implement the process of technology transfer between science and business and are engaged in the commercialization. In fact, they are: Tech StartUp School, Science Park, various programs together with the Stepan Chernovetskyi Foundation, Absolute Solution Hub, with the whole catalog of inventions of Tech StartUp School which have prospects for realization. Undoubtedly, these are private projects financed by investors that will bring financial benefits to Polytechnic. For example, the Science Park, which is in fact the main tool in this process, has now won three grants of 1.5 million hryvnias each.

«We have two joint hydrogen research projects with Hydroxy Power, which has received generous funding and is working with us to create the Hydrogen Technology Center, the first in Ukraine. Although Tech StartUp School is not on the market for long, we have a large number of projects in the early stages of development – they are biotechnology, medical developments and various technical startups. Today, together with the Medical University, we are developing a system for jaw management and we have already the first prototypes. Of course, these projects are the actual transfer of technology», said Nazar Podolchak, Director of Tech StartUp School.

Within the Science Park, Tech StartUp School, it is planned to create a Test Certification Center, because, in fact, it is lacking for effective research at the University. Often there is a need for a certificate of conformity for a device or technology and, of course, the creation of an appropriate structure will be in our favour. We have already collected data on which divisions of Lviv Polytechnic can officially carry out certification – it turned out that there are not so many of them, mostly laboratories of chemists and builders. But the enthusiasm has not diminished and Polytechnic has a serious intention to combine its competencies. In addition, an agreement has already been signed with the Medical Cluster, which is also willing to take an active part in this process. Thus, there is a real opportunity to create an important structure not only for the University, but also for Lviv.

«Science Park is an effective tool, and we are also creating an Industrial Park – it will be an important tool for commercialization, but of larger-scale production. When we test the first prototypes at the Test Certification Center, we will transfer them to production in the Industrial Park, where there will be benefits for Lviv Polytechnic», added Nazar Podolchak.