At the beginning of March, the Technology Transfer Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences welcomed a guest from Scandinavia. Upon invitation by the transfer professionals, Donnie SC Lygonis from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH Stockholm) visited to present the Swedish project evaluation model for commercialization, known as KTH Innovation Readiness Level™.
KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ is a structured tool that helps transfer professionals and researchers assess how close their technology is to successful market application.
Donnie SC Lygonis from KTH Stockholm has been assisting transfer professionals and researchers for more than 15 years in determining market readiness and overcoming barriers between academic research and industry. He currently serves as Head of International Collaboration at KTH Innovation.
Swedish Model: Research Results Belong to Academics
A unique highlight of the discussion was Sweden’s distinctive approach to intellectual property – the “professor’s privilege.” This principle allows academics to retain the rights to inventions developed during university research. Unlike most countries where intellectual property is owned by universities or research institutions, Swedish scientists have full control over how they utilize their findings.
This model encourages entrepreneurial activity in science, as researchers actively participate in commercializing their discoveries. They are supported by innovation centres like KTH Innovation, which offer free business, funding, IP, and market entry assistance.
KTH Innovation Readiness Level™: A Structured Evaluation Approach
One of the key tools presented was KTH Innovation Readiness Level™, which assesses readiness across six core dimensions:
- Customer Readiness Level (CRL) – Do we understand customer needs well enough?
- Technology Readiness Level (TRL) – Is the technology ready for real-world application?
- Business Model Readiness Level (BRL) – Does the project have a sustainable business model?
- IP Readiness Level (IPRL) – Is intellectual property properly protected?
- Team Readiness Level (TMRL) – Does the team have the necessary skills?
- Funding Readiness Level (FRL) – Are we ready to secure funding?
This framework helps teams systematically evaluate their project’s progress, identify weaknesses, and plan next steps – increasing the likelihood that scientific innovation will reach real users.
Why Do Innovations Often Fail?
Several key insights were shared on why innovations frequently fail to reach the market:
✔ Many technologies start as solutions without clear market demand. The first step is to validate whether there’s a real customer need.
✔ Scientists often focus on technology rather than market fit. An innovation only succeeds when people actually use it.
✔ Scientific entrepreneurship is about people. A well-selected team with strong industry and investor ties is essential.
Can the Czech Republic Learn from the Swedish Model?
The Czech Republic does not follow the “professor’s privilege” – research results usually belong to universities or institutes. However, the Czech Academy of Sciences (AV ČR) is actively developing strategies to support more efficient technology transfer:
- The Technology Transfer Centre of the CAS assists scientists with licensing, IP protection, and industry partnerships.
- The Transfer Portal of the CAS highlights research results suitable for commercialization.
- Educational programs focus on entrepreneurship and technology transfer for scientists.
How Can We Improve Commercialization in the Czech Republic?
- Foster entrepreneurial thinking among scientists – Not every researcher must become an entrepreneur, but all should understand the pathway to impact.
- Emphasize early market validation – Work with customers from the start, not just pursue academic goals.
- Adopt a more flexible approach to IP – Like in Sweden, give scientists greater autonomy over their inventions.
- Speed up commercialization – Streamline administration and strengthen research–industry links.
Final Thoughts and Inspiration
- Sweden’s professor’s privilege supports academic entrepreneurship.
- KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ helps measure how close innovation is to market.
- Successful innovation = something people actually use.
- The Czech Republic should boost support for entrepreneurial scientists and speed up technology transfer.
The presentation by Donnie SC Lygonis offered valuable insights on how to more effectively support scientific innovation and its real-world application. We hope this is just the beginning of further collaboration.