Developing and Sustaining the TSSG

Research Group”

Willie Donnelly

Research Philosophy

Drive regional economic developmentthrough

Our global reputation for Research and Innovation Excellence

TSSG Space - MobileReduced usage friction via better performance and user experience + lower price

+ expanded services = 10X more devices

TSSG Overview

SFI Digital Ireland, 25/7/2011 Copyright © 2011 Waterford Institute of Technology 4

• Research Centre in Waterford IT• Founded in 1996• Currently 110 staff:

• 5 WIT Faculty• 12 Post-docs• 20 PhD students• 73 engineers / project managers

• Won competitive research funding of €80m+ from 1996-2012• 154 funded projects, 73% led by TSSG, 34 currently active• Collaborated with 425 partners in 35 countries – industry and

academic partners working on funded projects

Balanced Ecosystem

Copyright © 2011 Waterford Institute of Technology 5

TSSG

TSSG Innovation Platform

• Academic Network around the World

• PhD Students and Graduates• Publications in Leading Journals• Projects for Partner Companies • Knowledge and IP

Science (SFI)

Innovation (EU)

• European Research Network• Technology Roadmaps• White Papers and Prototypes• Knowledge and IP

Commercialisation (EI)

• European and USA company network

• Spin-outs / start-ups• Projects with companies (90+)• Technology (IP) that can be

licensed

WIT

WIT Leading National Research Cluster

“The panel believes that this Cluster

is one of the largest and strongest

groupings of academic researchers

in network management in the

world.”

Extract from SFI Expert Review Panel

(2011)

WIT - Leaders in European programmes

EU FP7 - ‘Waterford Institute of Technology, who are on a level par with the larger institutions in relation to participation success rates, are a model for other institutes of technology and indeed some universities to follow’

Regional Impact – ArcLabs, a unique environment for innovation & enterprise

Regional hub for research, innovation & enterprise development

New centre opened in Kilkenny

84 of the businesses supported by WIT Enterprise Platform Programme in the past 6 years currently have a combined turnover of €29 million, with €8.5 million in export sales, and have generated 249 jobs in this period.

20 companies based in Arclabs employing 160+

261 innovation vouchers completed to date

• Researched, Developed, Built and Spun Out - 2010.

• End-to-end Cloud Platform as a Service for building, running and managing enterprise grade mobile apps.

• Demonstrates capability to go from concept to product / business launch.

FeedHenry (Spin-out)

Winner: CTIA (USA), Emerging Technology Award, 2012ISA (IE) Partnership Award, 2012

• Researched, Developed, Built and Spun Out - 2008.

• Mobile solutions to the tourism and heritage sector.

• Tall Towers – augmented reality

• Demonstrates capability to go from concept to product / business launch.

ZolkC (Spin-out)

Market Validation/ Product Engineering

Feasibility/Business Models

Engineering Team

Development

Business

Partnerships

Reference

Site

Agile Development Environment

IP Management

EI Commercial Case Feasibility Grant 10-15K

EI Commercialisation Grant Staged 100-300K

TT Office Leverage Industry

Contact base

Spin-in Company

Product re-engineering

Engineering Team

Development

Agile Development Environment

IP Management

EI Innovation Partnerships100-400K

30% Contribution from Company

EU research for the Benefit of

SMEs

EI Innovation Voucher

TT Office

EU Framework

• Understand EU framework workplan

• Identify relevant open call • Identify projects already funded

– state of the art • Who are project partners

– What can you bring to table • Identify program support

infrastructure – Technology Platforms – Conferences / working groups– Open days

1. Leverage EI/IOTI training programs

2. EU travel grant

3. Identify and meeting Irish participants

4. Volunteer as programme reviewer

Over 7000 full time students & 1500 part time (Business, Education, Engineering, Humanities, Health Science, Science)

€107m research awards 2001 - 2011

Over 400 research staff and research postgraduate students actively involved in funded research projects in WIT

134 Principal Investigators, Research Fellows and Postdoctoral Researchers supported by sponsored research > €9.5m payroll (unique model within IOT sector)

More than 170 active research projects

WIT – Some Key Facts

Research Centres of Critical Mass Telecommunications Software Systems Group (TSSG)

84 dedicated research staffMain areas of focus:

Network control software, Future Internet, Mobile Communication Services

Pharmaceutical & Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBRC)

30+ Faculty Research staffMain areas of focus:

Polymeric drug delivery technologies Novel process technologies Separation Science Molecular Biotechnology (biotransformations and therapeutic molecules)

Active collaborations with:Genzyme, Merck, Sharpe & Dohme, Teva, Eirgen, FastForm Research, Pinewood

South East Applied Materials Research Centre (SEAM) 5 Full time research staffMain areas of focus:

X-ray MicrotomographyMicrowave ProcessingThermal analysis & SEM

Active collaborations with:Schivo, MinCon, Boston Scientific, Stryker, Sigmoid Pharma, Genzyme, Pfizer, Teva….

Lessons learned : Institute

– Need for Institutional strategy – Areas of specialisations – Support mechanisms

• Infrastructure and equipment • Travel • Timely information on calls • Payments • HR policy

– Reward structure / performance system– External Evaluation/Support– Strategic Partnerships

Lessons Learned : Department /School

– Continuity from Institute strategy mapped to School/department priorities

– Research targets – Feedback loop– Recognition for performers – Establish R&D committee – Mentoring programme – support infrastructure– Postgraduate strategy

Lessons Learned

Academic Researcher – Identify areas of maximum opportunity

• Institute priority• Regional impact • National agenda• Funding opportunities

– Development plan • Self evaluation• Potential partners • Basic/Applied/commercial strategy• Publications

Lessons Learned

Academic Researcher – Funding opportunities

• How does it fit in with your development plan• Potential partners • Outcomes

– Hiring strategy • Students • Postdocs • Research fellows• Engineers