The future of technology transfer in a changing innovation landscape

With the government signalling a move toward researcher-owned intellectual property, the foundations of New Zealand’s technology transfer system are under review.

During the inaugural Auckland Startup Week, a city-wide celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation, I was invited to speak to these changes at the Nexus Summit, a gathering of early and mid-career professionals working in research commercialisation across NZ’s universities and Public Research Organisations (PROs).

Nexus brings together those who sit at the intersection of science, enterprise, and public good: the professionals who help research move from idea to impact. My keynote, 'Leading Without a Licence', examined how the role of technology transfer professionals, and the skills they need, is being redefined in a rapidly changing environment.

The government’s plan to move toward a researcher-owned intellectual property (IP) policy, similar to the University of Waterloo model in Canada, is one signal of this change. But even without formal policy reform, technology transfer offices are already adapting to a broader transformation. Researchers are seeking greater involvement in how their work is applied, new forms of impact are emerging; the capabilities needed to support them are expanding beyond traditional commercialisation.

In my talk, I argued that the future of technology transfer lies not in policy or structure but in capability. The authority once granted by institutional ownership of IP is fading. What matters now is influence earned through relationships, credibility, and the ability to help research travel outward into the world in many forms.

To describe this shift, I introduced the Leading Without a Licence framework, which highlights three interdependent sets of capabilities that define effective practice today: the Architect of Trust, the Orbit Connector, and the Pathway Navigator.

The Architect of Trust designs the relational and procedural foundations for collaboration. The Orbit Connector links research to investors, policy actors, iwi, and innovators beyond the university’s walls.

The Pathway Navigator guides research through multiple routes to impact, from start-ups and licences to policy engagement, social ventures, and more. These are not job titles; they are capabilities that can be developed through cross-sector experience, reflection, and institutional support.

Following the keynote, three leaders who see these shifts from different vantage points joined me for a panel discussion. Dr Alison Campbell OBE, chief executive of the UK Government Office for Technology Transfer, offered an international and policy perspective. Amanda Davies, Innovation Manager at Scion, represented the PRO context, and Will Charles, executive director of investment at UniServices, brought the perspective of a large university technology transfer office. Together, we explored what leading without a licence means across these different contexts.

Alison Campbell described how the UK government is supporting public-sector organisations to realise the potential of their knowledge assets and emphasised that the definition of technology transfer is widening, and professionals will increasingly need to work across both commercial and public-value frameworks. Amanda Davies reflected on the collaborative reality within a PRO, where her team already operates more through relationships rather than control. Will Charles observed that UniServices’ portfolio is diversifying, driving a need for staff with broader industry experience and interdisciplinary fluency.

The panel then turned to what these shifts mean for the next generation of professionals. Alison, who has helped define international standards for the field through The Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals, emphasised that technical expertise is still essential, but no longer sufficient. Success now depends on relational, strategic, and cross-disciplinary skills developed through peer learning and experience. Amanda encouraged early-career professionals to invest in trust early, spending time with researchers and learning their context before talking about contracts or IP. Will added that varied experience breeds capability, with the sector needing people who can move between sectors and who understand both the pressures of the lab and the realities of the market.

In the final round, each panellist was asked to describe the future of technology transfer in a single word or phrase. Will, going last, summed up both the complexity and promise of the field when he said, “The best job in the world.”

That sentiment captured the spirit of the day. The future of technology transfer is not about losing authority; it is about gaining influence. As ownership models, funding structures, and expectations evolve, professionals who can build trust, connect ecosystems, and guide research toward impact will help define the next chapter of innovation from New Zealand’s universities and PROs.