Tech Transfer Talk

Tech Transfer Talk is a series of podcasts discussing aspects of the many facets of technology transfer.

Episode 47 - The Ten Carbon Chemistry Conundrum with Tony Peacock 05/29/2025

Episode 47 - The Ten Carbon Chemistry Conundrum with Tony Peacock In this episode we had a chance to discuss the pre-emptive wind up of with . Earlier this year, Tony candidly some of the story behind the journey and the recent decision to wind up the company, returning the IP to Wintermute Biomedical and I was very keen to explore the story behind this decision. Tony has been involved in tech transfer in many roles, most notably Managing Director of the Pig R&D Corporation (a forerunner of ), Chief Executive of , Chairman of , as well as a consultant to CRC bids and angel investor. We started by exploring our perspectives on what technology transfer is and discussed that perhaps the name suggests a simple handover where, in fact, tech transfer is a complex and ongoing set of interactions and iterations to enable success. We started exploring the rationale to the formation of this new venture. The venture was designed to enable Wintermute to continue its strong focus on biomedical applications while exploring opportunities in agricultural and industrial chemical markets. The formation of the new venture enabled market development and the positioning of the novel chemistry with different partners working who had different technical, market and regulatory needs. The timing of the venture was particularly interesting, (Launching in the time of COVID), which distorted demand for cleaning and hygiene solutions. We discussed how market structure and big brands can create opportunity and challenges in entering consumer facing market segments. The inherent risk to well known brands to adopt formulation change became a challenge. Regulations set around older chemistries presented challenges with a new mode of action. Agriculture applications emerged where the technology received interest as a fungicide resistance solution. Tony introduced the 2:2:1/2 rule – that biotech takes twice as long as expected, with twice the resources envisaged and half the revenue generated! We particularly focussed on the timing issue, with various delays in trials and paths to market impeding the return on investment. The importance of market pull, or the as Paul Bryan mentioned in an earlier podcast, was also explored where Tony described the initial enthusiasm amongst glass recyclers for the product and getting and holding the attention from (potential) customers. We then explored the governance and management that oversaw the decision to wind up the company. Tony reflected on the importance of governance and the need to think beyond risk management, an area we discussed with in an earlier . We discussed the importance of clear financials, the role of the founder and having a focused management team to bring the venture into maturity. In reflecting on the journey, Tony reinforced the need for due diligence and wearing a black hat in assessing opportunities and recognise that new ventures take time and energy. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/36745470

Episode 46 - My Favourite Martin: Wright's Law, scaling up and why hydrogen won't decarbonise energy products with Paul Martin 04/24/2025

Episode 46 - My Favourite Martin: Wright's Law, scaling up and why hydrogen won't decarbonise energy products with Paul Martin In this extended episode we had our first three-peat, with from rejoining the podcast. When he first joined us in February and April of 2023, we had a terrific discussion on the diseconomies of scale, hydrogen and hopium, and it seemed timely to revisit the outlook for scale and technology transfer in the hydrogen market. It was great to explore why funding has continued to flow towards hydrogen in the face of the techno-economic and thermodynamic challenges that these investments are seeking to overcome. We discussed the notion of predatory delay and the emerging infrastructure challenges of connecting renewables to the transmission infrastructure. Paul also debunked the underlying assumption that is broadly applicable to reducing capital costs whereas the cost improvements are largely restricted to hydrogen electrolysers and note the balance of plant. We also explore the importance of reserves and resources. Paul then offered a reprise of why the techno-economics simply don’t work for green hydrogen with current black hydrogen prices at around USD 1.00 – 1.50 / kg EXW. We contrast two (polar) scenarios where we assume free capital or free electrons to try to make the numbers work. We conclude that a carbon pricing mechanism is needed to get green hydrogen competitive with current production routes. Paul referred to his discussions with and the recent as moved into discussions around e-fuels. We briefly explored the outlook for renewable fuels and reflected on policy history, our podcasts with Paul Bryan in and and the differences between price of sale (to market) and cost of production (at refinery). We discussed why harder to abate sectors (such as aviation) are getting their efforts underway while easier to abate sectors (such as land transport) appear less systematic in the uptake of low-carbon energy alternatives. Paul introduced the concept of the time value of CO2 in the atmosphere and the need to make quicker inroads into atmospheric reduction. Is there a place for industrial green hydrogen? Paul brings us to cost per ton of abatement rankings and reflected on some of the confusion that has arisen around using hydrogen as a decarbonisation strategy rather than decarbonising hydrogen (in its current industrial applications – which for the avoidance of doubt rarely if ever is an energy carrier). In the absence of policy, super additive benefits are needed (beyond carbon reduction) to drive consumer and industrial product uptake. We then explore some policy interventions and Paul contends that subsidises make sense where Wright’s Law is likely to apply, and in turn support technology scaling. We discussed the development of battery technology reflecting on LFP market trajectory and the scale-up challenges for sodium ion technology. We reflected different approaches to capital for technology scale up, and the importance of patience. We specifically touched on the Biden Administration Loans Office and a recent podcast with on , as an example of targeted policy support. Paul and I conclude our conversation with Paul reframing the question we are trying to answer. We should not be thinking 'what we burn?', but 'how we provide energy services?'. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/36275675

Episode 45 - Wyse Counsel: Reflections on venture and biobased economy with Roger Wyse 03/27/2025

Episode 45 - Wyse Counsel: Reflections on venture and biobased economy with Roger Wyse In this episode, I had the great pleasure of catching up with , Founder and Managing Partner at . I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Roger over the past decade (or more) and have always found his insights of great value and was delighted to have the chance to discuss his experiences and learnings. Roger reflected on his early experiences at Burrill and the opportunities and challenges of being the first biobased economy venture fund. He then looked back on the early syndication efforts in building the fund and the journey to establishing Spruce Capital Partners in 2013. Spruce was seeking true disruptors, yet in bioeconomy, disruption is an oxymoron! Producers are conservative as they notionally have '40 shots on goal' (i.e. 40 growing seasons) and industrial biotech is conservative as consumer facing companies have brands to protect. We also reflected on the motivations and time horizons associated with different limited partners. We discussed time associated with the market forming actions from regulators, such as sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and market constraining actions from (same) regulators in securing approvals to construct processing plants or introducing technologies to market. Roger noted that in terms of time, society now has a 100-year environmental debt that we need to start to pay off! It came to light that the technology transfer process from research institution to commercial partner in the US and Australian systems have eerie similarities! IP valuation disparities and divergent incentives amongst the parties can make alignment and deal finalisation time consuming. We speculated that this may in fact be the first of the 'valleys of death' that a licensee or venture might face! Roger co-authored a discussion paper in October 2023, which explores the convergence of enabling technologies to accelerate the concept to commercialisation process. Reducing the time to market requires market, product and development processes to be undertaken in parallel, rather than the near linear fashion they are today. This requires patient capital alongside a systematic engagement across the stakeholders (or value pool participants). Roger also noted that there are process engineering expertise and infrastructure challenges to support scaleup and bridging product to market challenges. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/35880645

Episode 44 - Science Meets Parliament 2025 02/08/2025

Episode 44 - Science Meets Parliament 2025 In this episode I had the opportunity to discuss the genesis and history of Science Meets Parliament (SMP) with running of the 25th SMP in February 2025. Drs , and joined me to explore the origins of the event, how the event has evolved and why it remains a centrepiece to informing parliamentarians of the central role STEM plays in society and the economy. Ken reflected on the need to focus on science for one or two days, to “flood the parliament with scientists” with a mandate to inform parliamentarians – it wasn’t about lobbying. As it happened, the idea was “pushing on an open door” with early bipartisan support. It was noted that it was in fact STA’s predecessor, the Forum of Australian Science and technoIlogical Societies that initiated the SMP concept and talked of the challenges of coordination in bringing a new event onto the calendar. Cathy noted that scientists have unique knowledge, and the event offered members and scientists a forum through which to learn more how they think and the issues they are seeking to address. Cathy reflected on her own experiences at SMP and the life changing exposure that it creates for scientists creating a new dialogue as equals with parliamentarians, offering information on what science can offer. In turn, this brings science to front of mind for politicians, akin to the idea of bringing innovation to the centre of policy making explored at the most recent . Jeremy noted that science and government are both complex systems and that the issues of the day change, highlighting the need for broad science engagement to reflect the breadth of challenges and opportunities being met by parliament. This forum allowed for new ideas to be shared where there is a receptivity to new concepts that could be shared thoughtfully. He noted that parliamentarians are tuned to authenticity, which is an enduring strength of SMP. We wrapped our conversation reflecting on the challenges that modern media has brought on communicating science and the importance of direct conversations, trust and rigorous science being the cornerstones of social license between the science community and parliament. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/35200750

Episode 43 - 'What got us here, won't get us there!': Reflections on NIPF24 with Jane O'Dwyer 01/30/2025

Episode 43 - 'What got us here, won't get us there!': Reflections on NIPF24 with Jane O'Dwyer In this episode, I had the opportunity to reflect on the with , CEO of . Firstly, we reflect on the opportunity before the Australian innovation community to influence policy and bring innovation to the centre of economic policy, and not merely as an afterthought. We then hear some highlights from the remarks of and at NIPF24. These are important scene setters as they bring out issues of local innovation culture, the need for customers and investors, and to find the unique Australian business model that allows innovation to drive economic growth and productivity. We took the opportunity to reflect on each of the three discussion sessions from NIPF24. Each of the sessions had recurring themes touching on culture, customers, investment and risk. In discussing risk, raised the challenges that boards face with director liabilities, pushing risk taking to the background and, in turn, missing opportunities for new ways to create value while serving customers. challenged the participants around leadership behaviours, consequences and the need for a national conversation around how we talk about risk. further reflected on risk, introducing the ! In the next session (2), the missing middle was discussed – a topic that emerged from NIPF23 – and explored the idea of government procurement as a market maker. exemplified the impact of procurement policy with examples from the health care sector. brought forward the notion that the economy should serve people, not people serving the economy, and highlighted the need for Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) to have its place alongside STEM in innovation and technology transfer. shared his recent experiences of reviewing federal government procurement policies and the misaligned incentives that exist favouring procurement from abroad, rather than domestic service providers. The third and final session focused on the notion of a New Australian Business Model. described government procurement as bridging market uncertainty, addressing social challenges and stimulating demand. explained the canyon of death that faces organisations delivering profitability and emissions reduction through scaling production. reflected on the 'burning platform' we are on nationally, highlighting that innovation drives productivity but the private sector needs the capabilities and capacity, commonly called absorptive capacity, to take up and scale innovation into profitable products. Jane and I conclude our reflections on the need for elaborately transformed manufacturing to reassert itself, aligning with sovereign interests and contemporary geopolitical risks. Tying in the prequel remarks from Catherine Livingstone and (from ), and, on the day, from , Jane poignantly points out that the current cost of living crisis and the long-term living standards of Australians cannot be resolved without innovation at the core of economic policy. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/35060650

Episode 42 - Going with the Flow: How electrical engineering impacted irrigation management with Matt Ryan 12/19/2024

Episode 42 - Going with the Flow: How electrical engineering impacted irrigation management with Matt Ryan In this episode, I had the opportunity to chat with of Rubicon Water on a tech transfer success story that is rippling through irrigation markets around the world. is an ASX listed company that started in 1995 following the consolidation of a number of Victorian rural water boards. Members of the departing staff identified inefficiencies in the movement of water from dam to crop and started to develop products and solutions to meet market needs for efficient water management. Early trial work led by Matt in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area around Ayr in Far North Queensland gave confirmation of the market need and the testing of early product solutions. Rubicon’s market hypothesis in the late 1990s was that better scheduling and delivery of water from dam to farm would complement (then) application technologies. The value was apparent from the regular drought cycles that affect Australian agriculture. The product required to create value needed to better measure and manage the flows through irrigation channels to match supply with demand. Matt explained that the Rubicon team didn’t have the internal capacity to undertake the product development R&D. He also shared that Rubicon had a hunch that the challenge could be solved with an electrical engineering, rather than (a more conventional) civil, agriculture or hydraulic engineering approach. This disruptive thinking led to a partnership with (then) at the before his current roles as Non-Executive Director at Rubicon and Pro-Vice Chancellor at . Matt also shares a little of the funding history that sat alongside the research collaborations. The product, now referred to in the Industry as Total Channel Control (TCC) arising from the hunch was trialled in Far North Queensland and Matt shares with us some of the technical elements needed to bring the product together. This journey included new gate designs (inspired from the aviation sector), telemetry, scheduling software and distributed network control loops (noting that we are still in the late 90s). What was equally fascinating was the industry culture and the challenges in marketing, selling and implementing such a different product offering to market. Matt noted that “the hardest thing is the people”. We conclude our discussion around the current opportunities for Rubicon, particularly as USA water markets are changing in Arizona and California. We also reflect on the broader set of stakeholders that are part of bringing the technology to market, not just in the USA, including urban and environmental water requirements and recognising the rights and needs of indigenous communities. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/34484185

Episode 41 - The State of the Bioeconomy with Jim Lane and Sara Lee 11/28/2024

Episode 41 - The State of the Bioeconomy with Jim Lane and Sara Lee In this episode I had the great pleasure of catching up on the global bioeconomy with , a global champion of the biobased economy with his daily publication and semi-annual events. Over the past 12 months, a lot has been happening in the bioeconomy, and we had the chance to catch up on Bold Goals, renewable fuels and feedstocks, among other things. Our discussions opened around one of Jim’s keynote messages – it’s all about the feedstocks! While the energy transition is underway, we discuss the importance of molecules as part of the future energy mix. Jim reckons that accessibility to feedstocks, and not the conversion costs associated with process technologies, is the emerging bottleneck in scaling and acceleration the transition away from fossil resources. We touch on a range of current and emerging solutions including residues (which he sees as a significant pathway), cover crops and tree crops! Jim introduced the 'zoning problem'. He makes the observation that feedstocks are getting punished rather than producers acting in bad faith, and this is distorting the availability and social license of some options. He sees the greatest challenge in logistics, delivering densified, uniform, standardised raw materials to refinery operations and we explored whether biomass gasification should / could be a pathway solving these challenges. While Sustainable Aviation Fuel has drawn a lot of the headlines over the past few years, we explored the rising demand from the marine sector – from Jet Zero to Wet Zero. We touch on the greater optionality that the marine sector has for liquid fuel solutions. And with Jet and Wet discussed, we move onto Debt Zero and the need for financing to get the first of kind and next of kind plants up to scale to drive returns and lower risk for the industry. Jim and I then explore some of the broader challenges in the bioeconomy, specifically the marketing challenge that the industry has around positioning with consumers to drive uptake of products. We have a little reflection, around changing the conversation and Jim makes the excellent observation that shaming customers really doesn’t work! Marketing also gets some further discussion as we reflect on alternative protein and cellular agriculture. We close out our conversation reflecting on the Bold Goals initiative (which started 12 months ago) and talk of the 10-billion-ton study. Jim closes out with the acronym of the year – as nobody does it like Sara Lee! /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/34178425

Episode 40 - The Prequel: National Innovation Policy Forum 2024 with David Thodey AO and Catherine Livingstone AC 11/21/2024

Episode 39 - Trust, Talent and Technology Transfer with Mark Hutchinson 09/26/2024

Episode 39 - Trust, Talent and Technology Transfer with Mark Hutchinson In this episode, I had the great pleasure of having a wide-ranging discussion with . He is currently a member of Australia’s , Advisory Board Member to Program, recent past president of and has been a successful research leader and tech transfer advocate for over 15 years at the , largely centred on the and . We quickly uncover one of Mark’s modus operandi which is to seek forgiveness and not permission. This approach allowed him to get on with addressing roadblocks and challenges in developing and delivering solutions to willing and engaged partners. Given Mark’s early experiences in academia in Australia and at , we touch on Australian cultural challenges of researchers moving between private, government and research sectors, and differences in partner scale between his USA and Australian activities. Mark reflects on his 2024 experiences at in San Diego and notes the open engagement culture, the lack of non-disclosure agreements, and the focus on relationships. We contrast this with our observations around Australian tech transfer and Mark raises the notion that we could be suffering from a culture of locked in scarcity where the glass is always half empty. We then discuss some of the arising challenges of tech transfer with a scarcity mentality. We then explore Mark’s successful tech transfer experiences and reflect on the experience of a doctoral student, the cadence of engagement, and the need to change direction to reflect changing circumstances. We also touch on the need to get comfortable with uncertainty and contrast organisational and experimental (or bench) uncertainty. The domestic employment arrangements and consequences are also explored, touching on the that discussed in Episode 11. We discuss and the innovation and tech transfer opportunities, touching on co-creation as a driver of economic growth through dual use technologies and the opportunities for SMEs. Mark reflectsd on the need to 'get sticky; with our deals and partnerships (which is a variation on the concept discussed with in Episode 38) and look to a 'hook and loop' component to government transactions, somewhat inspired by the thinking of . We discuss the cultural challenge of risk aversion to sharing ideas in this brave new world, and the need to make change through talent heading abroad for experiences and have them returning into a welcoming and engaged innovation system and share stories of success. Mark shares his paper transportation challenge', noting that not all innovation comes through PhDs! We reflect on the importance of Minimum Viable Products and the importance of engineering alongside research to get products to market. This introduces the notion of scale, which we started discussing on the podcast; firstly with ) at the start of 2023 and highlighted further at the in November 2023. We also touch on this getting discussed by with in an episode of . Mark notes that there is a perception that fundamental science is worth more than the translation bridge, however they need to exist in a dynamic equilibrium. We wrap up our discussion with an impassioned close from Mark around believing in your product, solutions arising from teams, and being prepared to listen to the market and adapt while pressing forward. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/33199832

Episode 38 - Tech Transfer with Sticky Customers with Dr Angeline Achariya 08/29/2024

Episode 38 - Tech Transfer with Sticky Customers with Dr Angeline Achariya In this episode I had the chance to catch up with Dr Angeline Achariya, who has had a successful technology transfer journey moving across industry and the innovation sector throughout her career. With her formative years spent on the land in Fiji and in Queensland, she moved into agribusiness starting at Mrs Crockett’s then moving through and to where her executive career took route with and subsequently . Ange then moved to to lead what she started at Mondelez, before moving back to the private sector with and now in her portfolio career journey. We explore what innovation looks like in different organisations and brand environments. We touch on the world of Quick Service Restaurants and the challenge of tech transfer with a younger workforce. We explore in some detail innovation at Mondelez and the establishment of the Monash Food Innovation Centre. This was established in 2013 and was an early Australian forerunner in developing industry, research, government agrifood clusters. Ange took me through some of the approaches taken and the importance of listening to what industry wanted from the emerging entity – an “outside in” rather than “inside out” approach. In establishing the Centre, Ange describes some of the concerns and cultural challenges that emerged. We touch on SME concerns around partnering and sharing IP, why Monash University and differing perspectives around risk between the founding parties, including the Victorian Government. We discuss the importance of securing a mandate to get on with things and some of the associated governance dynamics. Here risk management and perception were managed through a “no surprises” approach and developing an understanding of the boundaries of involved parties. The rate of change of partner ecosystems also offered some interesting connections back to our recent discussions with David Thodey (in Episode 34) and Andy Shafer (in Episode 36) around culture and clock speeds. We wrap our discussion with the introduction of the “of getting sticky with customers” and the importance of building relationships through which partners engage over the longer term. Ange also notes that innovation isn’t formulaic and that the same approach cannot be applied in all circumstances. Purpose, Strategy, Culture, Risk Appetite and Capability among the partners and within the broader ecosystem also shape approaches to innovation and tech transfer. We finish our discussion talking about the need for resilient sustainability and solving the right problems for the right customer to create new value. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/32785097

Episode 37 - Making a Meal of Market Intelligence:- Relationships, Rolodexes and Returns with Rohan Rainbow 07/25/2024

Episode 37 - Making a Meal of Market Intelligence:- Relationships, Rolodexes and Returns with Rohan Rainbow In this episode, I had the opportunity to catch up with my colleague, business partner and good friend, Dr Rohan Rainbow, who has been a leading voice in the implementation of agricultural technologies in Australia for over 30 years. His early childhood journey moved him from suburban Melbourne to farming in rural Victoria, followed by South East South Australia and then settling in the Clare Valley in South Australia. He completed his PhD with The University of Adelaide while working on his agricultural research at followed by work as an independent consultant, plus executive officer to both the and establishing the , then research investment with the . In 2014, he established his consultancy and in 2018, with myself and Leecia Angus, established . Our discussion started with his formative years on farm and how his PhD in soil physics and mechanics set the scene for how engineering parameters can improve crop establishment. In moving into research management, we noted that adoption and extension are easily overlooked in tech transfer circles and yet, are critical to the success of any new technology or practice. Rohan talked of the importance of field days, and the themes that came through were the need for clear value propositions for new technologies, particularly in the context of significant capital expenditure and/or practice changes needed for technology adoption. Rohan reinforced an observation Spiegare blogged about around venture investment in agtech in 2020; that not everywhere is the same – soils, equipment, people –for starters! We then talked about early adopters and the merits of ‘first vs fast followers’ in agriculture. We noted that someone has to go first in order for there to be a fast follower! We then explored Rohan’s motivations to establish himself as an independent consultant. Recognising the need for technical advice into regulatory and policy discussions, he has worked closely with and, more recently, on a range of issues. We also discussed the Precision to Decision Report that Rohan led in 2018 – a report that contributed to the foundations of agtech adoption and investment in Australia. We discussed the AUD 20.3 billion potential value identified that agtech could release, progress toward realising that ambition and some of the dynamics in agtech solutions, data stewardship. and satellite markets that have unfolded since the publication. We also touch on the tech transfer challenge around the need for all the components to come together to deliver value. We conclude our conversation with a discussion around pesticide access in Australia, and the market and regulatory dynamics that are arguably setting Australia at a disadvantage in accessing cutting edge approaches to crop protection and weed management. Rohan’s final thought is quite poignant from an Australia agriculture perspective, in that, Australian growers are quick to adopt technologies that work for them, because they have to! /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/32287392

Episode 36 - Building Businesses: Roadmaps, risks and rates of change with Andy Shafer 06/27/2024

Episode 36 - Building Businesses: Roadmaps, risks and rates of change with Andy Shafer In this episode, I had the opportunity to catch up with who’s been a leader in building businesses in the 21st century biobased economy. A alumnus, he started his 'bio-journey' with , a Joint Venture between Dow Chemical and , where he had a leadership role in bringing PLA to market. He then moved to for 9 years, establishing their market facing partnerships including sales and marketing, corporate brand and communications. He then spent 7 years in private consulting, including the authoring of a book on strategy and development, before joining in late 2023 as their Chief Marketing, Customer and Brand Officer. In our discussions, Andy reflects on his journey into the biobased economy and early involvement in the market development of PLA. It was striking that a reframing of the questions and potential benefits lead to a dramatic shift in strategy, leading to a focus of performance in use and less on the fact that it was a 'bio' product. His shares some observations on bringing a new joint venture together, with a team of different industrial backgrounds (and allegiances), and the process of bringing that team together around the JV’s mission. He also reflects on the resources and reputation that comes with a new JV entity in contrast to its (larger) parents. One of the challenges we discuss is developing 'proof of concept' to customers with constrained resources and the need to look toward creative collaborations. Andy sees segmentation as critical to tech transfer as this involves identifying who is going to help you be successful. He also notes that this isn’t necessarily the obvious, discussing fast followers rather than incumbents as they may not have the reputational risk associated with trying new approaches. We touch on the role of laggards or, as per Episode 7 with Paul Bryan, the role of the desperate customer. Andy also reflects on the rate of change and introduces the notion of 'stopwatches vs calendars'. We touched on the importance of timing in Episodes 10 and 13 and how these impact tech transfer outcomes. Here, Andy notes that clients can move at different rates to new ventures. He also notes that capital intensity and downstream supply chain partners, all need time to adjust and adopt new approaches. We touch on how ownership and the introduction of new investors through fundraising rounds can also be subject to asynchronous timing outcomes. The need for synchronicity between investors throughout the life of a venture is critical to sustainable success. Andy discusses how investor misalignment can drive different operational behaviours and outcomes. We close by discussing his new role at Gevo, and team members and acting as a gravitational force to bring Andy back into corporate life from his consulting activities. Andy sees Gevo as an opportunity to “help transform another industry on a mission that matters”. In taking on the challenge of bringing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to market, we again reflect on rates of change and risk. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/31896672

Episode 35 - Science Meets Parliament 2024 05/30/2024

Episode 34 - Innovation and the board: Reflections on ambition, culture, and the opportunity for Australia with David Thodey 05/16/2024

Episode 34 - Innovation and the board: Reflections on ambition, culture, and the opportunity for Australia with David Thodey In this special episode, I had the privilege of talking with , whose experiences and roles have included board and chair roles in organisations such as , , , , and Chancellor Elect at the . David is also a figurehead and thought leader within , particularly around innovation and the role that it can play in Australian business and society. In our conversation, David shares some of his journey into innovation, having started at , and he shares his passion and ongoing fascination with how science and technology can shape society and business for good. We reflect on the importance of communication in technology transfer, both in terms of inspiring the public and private sectors, but also in articulating the problems that it can address, and the opportunities that can arise through the embracing of innovation and well-managed risk. We touch on some of the broad enablers for business, such as finance and process, however, culture becomes the dominant theme through our discussion, and the challenge of disrupting the status quo alongside the need for competitive energy, both within organisations and in the markets that they serve. We then touch on the recent Australian tour by , and the notion of grand challenges for Australia to set and rise to. through better deployment of innovation and technology into the local ecosystem. David notes the need for defining organisational aspirations, purpose and through that, setting the culture for an organisation. Some time was spent reflecting on Australian business outlooks, including a recent survey which suggests that 85% of Australian CEOs believe their business would still be economically viable a decade from now, if it remained on its current path without major changes. This catalyses some discussion around the current malaise in private sector investment in innovation, competition, and the arising risk appetite from corporate Australia. David notes that every board should be looking for means to prosperity, and that innovation reflects the desire to improve. We reflect on how there are great sectoral examples of innovation, where organisations compete on the global stage for talent, resources and commercial success. We also explore some of the cultural conundrums inherent in innovation, related to people (who ultimately are driving innovation), and the corporate governance settings around reporting, control, trust, and accountability. There is an equilibrium between these and also between the board and management that needs to be thoughtfully calibrated. We also reflect on local attitudes to risk management and the challenges associated with recognising and managing well-intended but erroneous outcomes arising from the pursuit of innovation. Accountability and consequence need to be built into a system that results in (failing and) learning fast, not failing fast (and not learning). /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/31172292

Episode 33 - It takes a village to raise a start up: The importance of advice and governance with Anne-Marie Perret 04/25/2024

Episode 32 - Scouting and Mobilising Intellectual Property with Megan Steele, CGIAR 03/28/2024

Episode 31 - Tech Transfer in Australia: The battle for talent and resources with Natalie Chapman 02/29/2024

Episode 31 - Tech Transfer in Australia: The battle for talent and resources with Natalie Chapman In this episode, we discuss the current challenges in tech transfer capacity, capabilities and resourcing within the Australian innovation system with . Natalie found her passion for tech transfer in her time at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation () after a short stint in the finance sector. Missing the science, she found a way to combine her interests in science and commercial outcomes, bringing together technology and industry opportunities. In 2012, Natalie established , who provide tech transfer communications, consulting and advisory services to the Australian research and private sectors. We explore the absence of the tech transfer community’s voice in current discussions around innovation and research, and the pathways to and interfaces with industry and government policies. We discuss the challenges that are being presented as multiple, arguably uncoordinated innovation programs are initiated from various government departments and statutory corporate entities. These efforts, while arguably well intended, are straining the available Tech Transfer Office (TTO) resources, be it through work volume or through loss of capacity as programs compete for talent to drive innovation and tech transfer. The problem is exacerbated by a lack of pathway and training for entrants to the profession which is compounded by a lack of industrial experience amongst new hires. Natalie outlines the case for TTO investment, framed around the returns on public monies invested in research and innovation. This is a contrast to a more typical cost-centre framing when looking at organisational and divisional budget allocations. We explore FOMO, a related Australian innovation culture challenge (also related to the reluctance to say “no”), and the importance of managing risk through active portfolio management and market intelligence gathering to underpin decision making. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/30046748

Episode 30 - The Other Triple Helix: Entrepreneurship, science and theology with John Bloomer 01/25/2024

Episode 30 - The Other Triple Helix: Entrepreneurship, science and theology with John Bloomer In this episode, we discuss a different lens through which to look at entrepreneurship with . John has taken a journey from chemistry to agricultural seed technologies through advisory and board roles to his newly found vocation within the Church of England. John started his career at ICI and through a period of active mergers and acquisitions through the 1980s and 1990s, arrived at Syngenta, establishing the wheat and barley breeding business and migrating into an intrapreneur role with that organisation, before heading into independent consulting. His current business activities, alongside being a priest and chaplain, include advisory work with a range of agritech companies, Non-Executive Director with and co-founding as a spin-out from the . We explore his twin journeys through technology transfer and theology, and reflect on the Doctrine of Participation that John wrote about in . We explore how his faith, science and technology commercialisation sit alongside each other and some unusual moments of transition (where John started pitching God alongside pitching business ideas!) and his reflections from his theological studies and training at at Cambridge. John discusses how he sees strong compatibility between his theological and scientific training, framing these in terms of the why and how of the world around us. The Doctrine of Participation connects to entrepreneurship and technology transfer through five features. We explore how the infinite of theology and the typically finite value that technology transfer activities merge to create new opportunities. These, and the overarching doctrine (which is a theological perspective or framework) reveal some interesting perspectives on how entrepreneurs and technology transfer activities are creative as part of the broader world, be it economic, social and / or theological. John highlights the need for relationships (over transactions, a concept the podcast explored with ) and how relationships drive building the networks that underpin successful technology transfer, built on humility, selflessness, curiosity, perseverance and an unconventional mindset. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/29626358

Episode 29 - Reflections on National Innovation Policy 12/21/2023

Episode 29 - Reflections on National Innovation Policy In this episode, we have the opportunity to reflect on the recent National Innovation Policy Forum in Canberra last month with my colleague, Dr Faisal Younus, who participated in the event. Thanks to , we also have been able to weave some excerpts from the panels into our discussions to try to offer some reflections and insights from the day’s events. We open with Faisal’s key reflection from the Welcome to Country, followed by some of what said in his keynote address. We then look to the scale up challenge, which was initially identified at the same event 12 months ago and discussed on the podcast with in January 2023. With a brief reflection on the challenge of needing midsize firms to take up innovation yet noting their dwindling numbers in the Australian economy, we then reflect on comments made by and Professor Roy Green. We also touch upon the challenging policy landscape over the past 30 years, and the dispersion of investments and resources, likened to the spreading of Vegemite on toast. We follow these government challenges with a few reflections on competition, or perhaps hyper competition, in the innovation system, before turning to the role of markets and the need to be solving a problem. This was highlighted in some of the remarks made by , and from . We explore the notion of whether patenting could be the very beginning or the end of the beginning depending on the philosophies of market pull or tech push in various parts of the innovation ecosystem. Time, the one non-renewable resource, which we explored on the podcast with Allison Haitz and through soliloquy in 2022, where and shared some perspectives from the podium. We close by drawing some thoughts and themes from the panels around the innovation culture in Australia and the need for collaboration, which was encapsulated by in her remarks, and the complexities and chaos of collaboration remarked upon by Catherine Livingstone AO. While we couldn’t draw together all the incredible content from the panels, our thanks go to the other panellists who provided the inspiration for this podcast. , , , , , , and . /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/29111678

Episode 28 - Skyfill and unsustainable sustainability with Jim Lane 11/30/2023

Episode 28 - Skyfill and unsustainable sustainability with Jim Lane In this episode, I have the great pleasure of having our first omnipresent guest, , who is everywhere within the biobased economy with his leading daily publication . In the midst of driving the Bold Goals Initiative, catalysed by the US Inflation Reduction Act, and running the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC), we catch up with Jim on current perspectives on the bioeconomy and a little soothsaying on what the next few years might look like. We take a broad tour across ethanol, bio and renewable diesel, biochemicals, biomaterials and hydrogen. We briefly examine the origins of the current North American bioeconomy from the mid-00’s, reflecting on the drive for employment, energy security and emissions reduction and how the financial crash of 2008 and the discovery of shale gas affected early growth. Through our discussions Jim introduces a concept of 'Skyfill', to describe carbon emissions (akin to Landfill for material waste) and reflects on the need for transparent mechanisms for dealing with carbon and the inevitable unaffordability of government subsidies currently seeking to drive industrial and consumer behavioural change. Jim refers to this situation as 'unsustainability in the name of sustainability'! We touch on feedstocks and the lack of abundance of what we need, arguing we have too many sugars and too few oils from which to drive the industrial bioeconomy. Jim reflects on a little industrial history as we discuss the current energy and chemical market structures and how some thought should be given to not creating future strong oligopolies when it is hard to anticipate what the right mix of technology solutions might be. In discussing transport, while I suggested thermodynamic efficiency should be the key driver, Jim points to economics and consumer preferences that will drive consumer behaviour, particularly in transport (energy) markets. We close by traversing the world of biopolymers, the challenges around no renewable chemicals standards (unlike fuels), how drop in molecular equivalent products are playing out against their functional equivalents (or new polymers) in the market and the respective challenges in delivering functional, cost-in-use competitive products. Jim concludes with some optimism, noting that we need to grow faster to meet the carbon targets being set by governments and the private sector. /episode/index/show/techtransfertalk/id/28518632