Contents
Background
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) produce a significant volume of innovative research driven by highly talented and skilled researchers. However, many of these innovations fail to move beyond academic publications or laboratory prototypes. As a result, substantial opportunities for economic growth, job creation, licensing revenue, and context-specific solutions remain unrealized, particularly in the food and agriculture sector.
Publicly funded research often has a low rate of spin-off creation. One major reason is that most grants prioritize basic or exploratory research, with limited support for activities related to market readiness, validation, or commercialization. Consequently, many promising technologies do not reach advanced stages of technological maturity.
Beyond funding constraints, weak industry–academia linkages further hinder commercialization. Sustained collaboration between universities and the private sector, such as joint research projects, co-development initiatives, and licensing partnerships, remains limited. This often stems from a mismatch between academic research priorities and industry needs, resulting in low industry uptake of university-generated innovations.
Institutional barriers also contribute to the challenge. Ambiguous intellectual property (IP) policies and unclear revenue-sharing mechanisms discourage researchers from disclosing inventions and deter potential investors or industry partners. At the individual level, researchers frequently lack entrepreneurial, business development, and product design skills necessary to translate research outputs into viable market solutions. Academic reward systems that prioritize publications and teaching over industry engagement further compound the problem.
These issues were highlighted in the 2025 SEARCA Agri-Innovator Program (AIP). Even with strong products and capable R&D teams, the absence of coordinated action across institutional policy, funding mechanisms, skills development, industry linkages, and broader ecosystem support significantly limits the commercialization of university-developed technologies.
The 2026 AIP is designed to help address these gaps by promoting concrete and concerted efforts among universities, funding agencies, industry partners, and policymakers. With stronger alignment and collaboration, academic research can be translated into viable products and services that address national priorities and drive inclusive economic growth in food, agriculture, and engineering across Southeast Asia.
Objectives
- Strengthen understanding of the technology commercialization lifecycle by developing skills in assessing technical maturity, novelty, freedom-to-operate, market potential, and commercialization readiness.
- Enhance valuation and deal-structuring capabilities by learning technology valuation methods, licensing models, and appropriate revenue structures.
- Build industry engagement and outreach competencies by developing skills in market mapping, technology pitching, partner identification, and deal negotiation.
- Foster effective Technology Transfer Office (TTO)-researcher collaboration by establishing clear processes, shared expectations, and efficient communication channels for commercialization.
- Adopt best practices from leading institutions by learning from universities with strong commercialization strategies and successful industry partnerships.
Target Participants
AIP invites applications from universities/HEIs, preferably through their University Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). Eligible participants include IP and licensing managers, commercialization officers, and research and development staff actively involved in research and technology development in the fields of food, agriculture, and engineering.
Institutions are strongly encouraged to nominate at least two participants per HEI, ideally one representative from the TTO and one from the R&D team, to promote stronger collaboration and institutional alignment.
| University Technology Transfer Offices | R&D staff / researchers / inventors associated with the technology |
|---|---|
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Module Topics
- Pathways to Commercialization
- Licensing University Technologies to Existing Companies: Strategies, Structures & Success Factors
- Valuation of University Technologies: Methods, Practice & Decision-Making
- Types of Licensing Agreements for University Technologies
- Technology Transfer Policies in Southeast Asia: Frameworks, Trends & Best Practices for Universities
- How the Private Sector Thinks About Innovation
Program Fees
| USD 1,000 – regular rate for private sector and international NGO employees | Inclusions:
Note: Flights and travel insurance should be covered by the participants. |
USD 500 – subsidized rate for government employees of any SEAMEO member country |
Training Grants
SEARCA will offer limited and competitive grants to subsidize the program fee for citizens of SEAMEO Member Countries who are regular employees of government or public agencies. Previous SEARCA training alumni who received a grant (partial or full) within the last two years are not eligible for another grant in this round; however, they may still apply as a fee-paying participant. Applicants who do not receive a grant are encouraged to seek sponsorship from their organizations or other funding institutions.
How to Apply
- Register to the SEARCA Training Application portal.
- Fill out the online application form for the AIP.
- Attach the required documents below:
- Valid ID
- Curriculum Vitae (maximum of 3 pages)
- Nomination Form
- Statement of Commitment Form
Applicants who wish to apply for a grant must submit their application by 23 March 2026. If you are a fee-paying participant (either subsidized or full program fee), you must apply by 30 March 2026.
Contact Us
Interested in partnering with us for this training? Please contact Dr. Nova Ramos, Head, Education and Collective Learning Department-Training for Development Unit (ECLD-T4DU):