Berytech is launching a regional call for dairy value chain researchers and innovators across Lebanon, Tunisia, Italy and Greece who are looking to commercialize their research and Intellectual Property (IP) innovation projects, collaborate with stakeholders in the sector, and establish the needed intellectual property and licensing rights. 

The purpose of the technology transfer training is to provide intense business knowledge on:

• Innovation management
• Commercialization
• Competitive analysis
• Business model
• IP and financing

Participants will be given the opportunity to learn to formulate an action plan to transform inventions and innovations into a viable commercial project and get an overview of the technology transfer and patent commercialization process.

Challenges

Knowing that the Dairy sector is faced with many challenges, addressing them would contribute to the sector’s innovation and sustainability.The TRANSDAIRY Specialized Training aims at supporting all active dairy value chain researchers and technology transfer officers who want to turn their solutions for these challenges into a viable business.

• Challenges on the Supply & Farming level

Such as poor hygiene & cleaning care systems, poor milk preserving practices on small farms level, lack of local production of feed & drugs, lack of technology equipment & software to increase cattle and small ruminants’ life span & productivity, etc.

• Challenges on the Processing level

Such as the heating and pasteurizing increased costs due to low quality milk supply, fluctuations of processed cheese quality due to varying qualities of milk supply, high electricity costs, etc.

• Challenges on the Quality Control level 

Such as the lack of qualitative analysis of milk & of the dairy end products, non-compliant storage conditions on the suppliers/retailers level etc.

• Challenges on the Packaging level 

Such as the high costs of imported packaging, the lack of recyclable/reusable packaging solutions, poor packaging conditions which may impact product quality, etc.

• Challenges on the levels of Storage & Distribution, Export, Marketing & Communication, etc. 

Who Can Apply

This is a regional training open to participants in Italy, Greece, Tunisia and Lebanon who are:

• University PHD students, alumni, researchers and innovators working on research projects in the Dairy, ICT, or Bio/Nano technologies industries.
• Human resources of Technology Transfer Offices and public authorities who are interested in commercializing their research and IP innovation projects.
• Individuals, or members of an R&D transfer department (or similar role) in a private entity, public utility, industries, hubs or similar bodies.

Selection Criteria

The 25 selected participants to attend the training will receive an email with the training agenda, training timelines and zoom link. Selected participants will conform to these criteria : 

• Reside in Lebanon, Greece, Italy or Tunisia.
• Have an idea, innovation or research project addressing the Dairy Value Chain (DVC) opportunities, ICT or Bio/Nano Technologies.
• Preference for women, participants under 35 years old, researcher, public authority officer, and holders of experience in the Dairy Value Chain.
• Project ideas should combine innovation, sustainability and potential for commercialization.
• Projects should have at least proof of concept (a realization of a certain method or idea in order to demonstrate that the concept or theory has practical potential). 
• Participants should display a minimum degree or demonstrable experience in the KETs of interest for the DVC.

Key Benefits And Opportunities

Selected participants will have access to several benefits and opportunities presented by the training:

• Access to the regional Specialized Training and opportunity to connect with key regional stakeholders.
• Receiving a set of business and development skills and know-how by top notch experts, including technical and practical guidance, developing a business model, developing market and commercialization strategies, learning about intellectual property, technology protection, technical applications in the Dairy Value Chain, funding opportunities, access to finance, risk assessment and access to risk capital.
• Learn to formulate an action plan to transform inventions into a growing business and get an overview of the technology transfer and patent commercialization process.
• Access to Transdairy Project opportunities and networking in the Mediterranean region.
• At the end of the sessions, the participants will present the outcome of the training session in the form of a pitch deck. 10 selected participants will receive a 1500 € voucher to use in a way that supports the initiation of the innovation (such as creating a prototype, design & marketing, business consultancy, etc.)
• Access to the Transdairy regional online collaborative platform which features a database of Dairy Value Chain regional demand and offer and allows communication and networking among regional innovators, suppliers, partners, prospective clients, etc.
• Invitation to participate and benefit from the subsequent Transdairy activities for 2021 and 2022, which include: Cross Border Brokerage Events (matching innovators with innovation seekers on a regional level) & Call for cross-border spin-off establishments in the Dairy Value Chain with 10,000 € vouchers. 

Training Timelines

Four modules will be given over 6 days starting November 8th 2021, with a minimum of 18 hours.

3 sessions will be given per week for two weeks. Each session is 3 hours.