External Innovation and Translation Intermediaries
External Innovation and Translation Intermediaries (EITIs) work to drive collaboration and knowledge transfer between researchers in our Innovation Districts and industry.
The goal of an EITI is to ensure South Australian innovations are translated to deliver new products, processes and services to domestic and international markets.
EITIs will complement and support internal intermediary functions which may already be present within the Innovation Districts, such as technology transfer offices.
The establishment of EITIs in major South Australian Innovation Districts is an initiative of EXCITE, the state’s 10-year science and innovation strategy.
MTPConnect appointed EITI for Adelaide BioMed City
The South Australian Government has engaged not-for-profit organisation MTPConnect to act in the role of External Innovation and Translation Intermediary for Adelaide BioMed City.
MTPConnect exists to accelerate the rate of growth of Australia’s medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector.
As EITI, the organisation will liaise with Adelaide BioMed City partners to identity areas of competitive advantage and address current capability gaps.
MTPConnect will implement initiatives to increase productive collaboration between researchers, clinicians, entrepreneurs and businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
The establishment of EITIs in major Innovation Districts is a key action from our EXCITE strategy, to address opportunities highlighted by the South Australian Productivity Commission R&D Inquiry Report (2021).
EITIs play key leadership roles in supporting a culture of collaboration, and work to leverage funding from a range of industry and government sources to secure infrastructure and amenities for their District. They can also build competitive differentiation in the national and global context to secure increased market access.
In South Australia, significant investment has been made by State and Federal governments, research institutions and industry into the establishment of Innovation Districts.In this context,the South Australian Government will partner with Innovation Districts to engage EITIs, committing $3 million over three years to two districts (the first of which is Adelaide BioMed City).
University technology transfer offices (TTOs) or technology licensing offices (TLOs) are responsible for technology transfer and other aspects of the commercialisation of research that takes place in a university.
EITIs act to complement and support internal intermediary functions, which may already be present in partner organisations within the Innovation Districts, to address any gaps in the innovation ecosystem.
The types of gaps can be categorised as follows:
- Information gaps—gaps encountered by firms in identifying relevant, useful and applicable techniques for product and service development.
- Access gaps—difficulties encountered by firms in accessing technologies and knowledge which they know to exist but are unsure about how to go about acquiring it.
- Transfer gaps—negotiation of licence and consultancy/contract agreements, as well as project management.
- Translation gaps—developing and transforming knowledge embedded in a technology into a form and format that can be used in product, service and/or business development.
The External Innovation and Translation Intermediaries program is an initiative of the Government of South Australia’s EXCITE strategy, delivered in partnership with Adelaide BioMed City.
