Ecosystem Incentives Program

From lab to market: Strengthening the role of Technology Transfer Offices in bringing knowledge to the market is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Increased commercialisation of academic research results, by facilitating access for industry, startups and scaleups to the intellectual assets of academic research; Strengthened collaboration between industry and academia, reflected in an increased number of technology transfer deals and joint R&D projects resulting in market-ready innovations; Introduced more startup friendly intellectual asset transfer/licensing policies in universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs; Increased number of spinoffs by enabling researchers to overcome the barriers to commercialising their intellectual assets; Reduced transaction costs related to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) negotiations by establishing more standardised asset transfer policies across universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs; Optimised transfer/licensing processes by universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs based on grouping intellectual assets in portfolios that can be commercialised in package deals that are more attractive for industry and investors. Scope: Academic knowledge producing organisations (universities, research and higher education institutions and RTOs) are acting as innovation engines by fuelling startups and industries with new knowledge, technologies and skilled individuals. This potential can be nurtured with efficient intellectual management strategies and effective Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). However, Europe’s potential of research valorisation is underutilised. Currently, it is challenging for industrial actors to identify and access academic results that have potential for commercialisation. On the one hand, a relatively complex fragmented landscape of TTOs generates high transaction costs discouraging companies, especially startups from engaging in collaboration or accessing academic research for commercialisation. On the other hand, the lack of financial and non-financial incentives for academic researchers hampers their commitment. Indeed, in many cases, researchers cannot fully appropriate royalties from the licensing of intellectual assets and knowledge valorisation activities are not recognised for their career progression. In this regard, the Draghi report [1] recommends European universities/RTOs to adopt a more coordinated, commercialisation minded, and startup friendly intellectual asset management approach [2] . Participating beneficiaries should engage in the following activities: adopting startup-friendly intellectual asset management strategies; accelerating the commercialisation of academic research results under fair and transparent conditions in an attractive way for innovative companies and investors, in particular for critical technology areas related to the EU’s economic security; reinforcing the adoption of best practices in intellectual asset management [3] including the equitable sharing of value generated in R&I activities; improving the support to researchers and students in commercialising research results; enhancing intellectual asset management practices by establishing portfolio approaches to market intellectual assets in package deals; facilitating the collaboration between researchers, startups and innovative companies. More specifically, project participants should: Identify and share best-practices developed to support knowledge valorisation [4] ; On this basis, create a common set of tools for start-up friendly licensing/transfer [5] to be adapted to the specific national/regional context with templates, strategies, successful case studies and business models. The toolbox could include standardised rules and processes together with flexible and adaptable clauses to support negotiation, conclusion and implementation of licensing agreements; Develop a common incentives and benefit-sharing model ensuring incentives for researchers and students to engage in com Programme areas: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Innovative Europe, European innovation ecosystems Keywords: IPR management, Market-creating innovation, Technology transfer

Balancing food security, bioeconomy, climate and biodiversity objectives to unlock sustainable value chains is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: decision-makers have improved understanding of the impacts of bioeconomy and nature markets on the sustainability of the agricultural sector, food security, climate and biodiversity, as well as on land-use conflicts; society benefits from economic activities that align bioeconomy, climate and biodiversity objectives while safeguarding food security; farmers gain opportunities to diversify their production, their income and improve the environmental performance of agricultural production without compromising food supply; policymakers are better equipped to develop more effective, evidence-based agricultural and environmental policies. Scope: As the bioeconomy and nature markets gain importance, enabling diversification of value streams for farmers, policymakers must ensure that the growing use of agricultural biomass and agricultural land for non-food purposes (e.g., for the development of novel bio-based chemicals, compounds, materials, products and services, energy production, environmental services provision, carbon and biodiversity credits) does not compromise food security. For the purpose of this topic, nature markets encompass market mechanisms (e.g., nature credits as proposed in the Nature Credits Roadmap [1] , carbon credits, market-based payments for environmental services) mobilising private finance to create income streams for primary producers in return for undertaking actions supporting well-functioning ecosystem services (e.g., water quality and availability, biodiversity, climate). Strategies are needed to balance market incentives, safeguard food supply and the environment, and support farmers in diversifying incomes through sustainable business models and value chains. Successful proposals should support the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food, the Common Agricultural Policy, the new EU bioeconomy strategy, the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation and the climate and biodiversity objectives of the European Green Deal. Proposals should: explore natural capital accounting methods integrating economics and nature into agricultural accounts, and their potential to support economic valuation, pricing and integration in decision-making of environmental services provided by farmers; analyse existing and develop new innovative business models and value chains from which farmers can derive fair value and new income beyond food and feed production. This work should include, among others, an assessment of their potential to integrate sustainable practices, enhance farm profitability and performance, and support the transition to a circular bio-based economy and the green transition, as well as an assessment of the market operators involved; when conducting the research/assessment, consider the potential of biomass residues and secondary biomass streams, including waste, as well as low value, unused or underutilised biomass, and land areas; conduct interdisciplinary research from farm to macro levels, encompassing economic, social, biodiversity and climate impacts, and provide analytical tools in particular assessing implications for: farmers' income, decision-making and farm management including of its natural capital ; biomass supply and demand and threshold effects of market prices on production choices; land-use conflicts and food security risks (covering the availability, accessibility, utilisation and stability dimensions), considering leakage effects and other potential conflicts of use (e.g. water); provide recommendations for the design of policies and sustainable business models and value chains. The recommendations should anticipate trade-offs and align bioeconomy, climate and biodiversity goals while safeguarding food security and ensuring that farmers can diversify and receive fair incomes. They should also respond to evolving consumer demand. Proposals should ensure complementarities with o Programme areas: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, Bio-based Innovation Systems in the EU Bioeconomy Keywords: Accounting, Agricultural economics, Bioeconomy, Business models, Natural resources and environmental economics, Nature, circular bio-based economy, farm income diversification, food security, natural capital

Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Program is sponsored by Tompkins County, New York (through Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County). Tompkins County launched a pilot PES program in 2022 to provide financial incentives to farmers who adopt practices that enhance ecosystem services, such as improving water quality, soil health, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity.