EU Green Capital Valencia will host 2024 edition of European Urban Resilience Forum
Crucial aspects of resilience, sustainable development and recovery will be under the thematic spotlight
The University of Tartu ventures out into the business world, Source: Neil Howard, on Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
This will help fill the gap between research and entrepreneurship
Today, 3 June, Tartu’s municipal website reported that for the first time in Estonia a university has agreed to become a shareholder in a start-up company after the University of Tartu signed an agreement with UP Catalyst to that effect. By dipping its toes into the private sector, the academic institution aims to accelerate the promotion and application of research results in the real world.
What the Estonian university will invest is not financial, but, rather, intellectual capital. For this purpose, the academic body has created a business arm, called UniTartu Ventures.
"We created a model where the university transfers intellectual property to UniTartu Ventures, which in turn transfers it to the start-up and receives a stake in the company. As an active investor, UniTartu Ventures will continue to advise on the company's development after the transaction," explained Mart Maasik, Head of Investment at UniTartu Ventures.
Research and innovation often happen in universities, in fact, this is the purpose of the existence of any academic institution, apart from providing education and training. UniTartu Ventures, a private limited company owned by the University of Tartu, was established a year ago with the aim of investing the intellectual property created by researchers in science and technology-intensive companies.
Starting a research business is often seen as the end of research, but in business terms, it is just the beginning of a new journey. The goal of UniTartu Ventures is to contribute to the continuation of cooperation with the university, with research and development, after the start of the company and the involvement of the initial investment. In this way, everyone involved wins and the knowledge-intensive business grows.
UP Catalyst, the other signatory of the agreement, is a start-up turning the CO2 from heavy industry emissions into valuable carbon nanomaterials and graphite for use in batteries and accumulators. The investment round ended only recently, during which time investors injected more than two million euros into the company. According to the company's manager Gary Urb, the transaction with UniTartu Ventures will increase the company's credibility mainly in the eyes of investors.
This, however, is likely to change soon
Crucial aspects of resilience, sustainable development and recovery will be under the thematic spotlight
The island is dead set on doing something about the problem of overtourism
This is city twinning for the 21st century
You can find it in the capital Sofia, where it was installed upon the initiative of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
People in both cities got to sit together both in person and virtually
An illegal landfill will turn into a parking lot for cars confiscated by the police
It also features fast-charging stations for e-buses
Crucial aspects of resilience, sustainable development and recovery will be under the thematic spotlight
A US geologist claims to have solved the centuries-old mystery
This is the day when all madrileños take local pride in their city and culture
And the results were immediate, two Sunday services had to be performed to accommodate the crowd
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team