In the 90’s Swiss universities and academic research institutes developed a professional framework to support both cooperation with the private sector and the commercialization of research results. Since then, these institutions have made significant advances, showing excellent performance within international competitions.

The successful transfer of technologies developed in universities and institutes of research and higher learning is playing an increasingly important role in the process of innovation. The principal goal of technology transfer for society and the national economy in the medium and long-term is to create cooperation based on partnership between academia and the private sector.

swiTT recognizes “Technology Transfer” as the conversion of scientific research into applied use. This transfer is carried out within the framework of a successful cooperation with external research partners, the protection of intellectual property, the licensing of such intellectual property rights to existing companies or new enterprises, or similar transfer processes. Technology transfer relates to all basic sciences, medicine and technology, as well as the human and social sciences.

Technology transfer centers and their specialists play an important role within research and teaching institutions in the assessment of research results toward the application of technologies in the private sector. They identify and evaluate research findings with economic potential and work with the researchers concerned to develop a transfer strategy.