Lost in Translation: From Science to Scale

Europe is a scientific powerhouse. Its universities and research institutions punch above their weight in publications, fundamental discoveries, and patent generation. Yet something isn’t clicking: the businessworld rarely feels it. Europe lags in creating globally competitive tech companies, especially in deep tech and second-wave innovation.

This keynote will dig into that tension: why the continent that leads in research struggles to convert invention into global impact — and how universities and spin-offs must evolve their models to tip thebalance. 

Data Spotlight 

• In 2023, the European Patent Office (EPO) received a record 199,275 patent applications, with strong filings in digital, clean, and biotech tech. epo.org
• Yet Europe’s share of international patent families in cutting-edge 4IR (Fourth Industrial Revolution) technologies is about 15 %, trailing the US and Asia. Banco Europeo de Inversiones 
• Firms holding intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the EU see ~23.8 % higher revenue per employee and ~22.1 % higher wages on average. EUIPO 
• Despite strong public and academic research, Europe’s R&D-to-GDP ratio remains under 2 %, significantly behind peers like the US, South Korea, and Japan. Intereconomics 

These numbers point to a structural reality: the “last mile” of commercialization is where Europe often falls short 

• From Research to Relevance. Europe produces excellent science — but too often that science is spun off (or left) without the commercial muscle to scale. Why does the translation falter
• Beyond AI: Which domains matter? Artificial intelligence and data get headlines, but where are the spin-offs pushing biotech, quantum, advanced materials, climate tech, health technologies
• Reinventing Tech Transfer. Traditional licensing and university transfer offices often underdeliver. What new models—venture studios, equity sharing, incubator-aligned IP, collaborative spin-venture funds—can accelerate impact? 
• Alignment & Incentives. How do you align academic incentives (publications, citations) with entrepreneurial outcomes (product, scale, markets)? 
• Geopolitics & Knowledge Sovereignty. In a world where tech leadership is strategic national leverage, Europe cannot afford to let its research be commoditized elsewhere.