South East Technological University (SETU) has become the first university in Ireland to join the Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI) as part of its international Technology Transfer Facilities for Impact (TT4I) network.
Through the network, SETU will work with partners to explore how licensing can help technologies developed through University research, reach new users and communities.
The Impact Licensing Initiative is a European collaboration focused on ensuring that research and innovation deliver meaningful economic, societal and environmental benefits. Through its TT4I network, the initiative brings together organisations working in technology transfer to explore new approaches to intellectual property (IP) management and licensing that enable technologies to reach communities and markets where they can generate positive impact.
SETU's participation reflects a growing recognition that university technology transfer has an important role to play in addressing societal challenges, including sustainability, climate action, health and equitable access to innovation.
Expanding the role of technology transfer
Traditionally, university technology transfer has focused on protecting intellectual property, establishing spinout companies and negotiating commercial licensing agreements. While these activities remain essential to economic development, impact licensing provides an additional pathway for maximising the benefits of publicly funded research.
Impact licensing allows technology owners to explore new applications, markets and partnerships while incorporating measurable societal or environmental objectives into licensing arrangements. Importantly, these approaches can complement existing commercialisation strategies rather than replace them.
As a participating TT4I institution, SETU will work alongside international partners to identify technologies with potential for wider societal application, explore impact-oriented licensing opportunities and contribute to the development of practical approaches to responsible technology transfer.
"Joining the Impact Licensing Initiative represents an important step in SETU's commitment to ensuring that our research delivers meaningful impact."
Dr James O'Sullivan, Head of Innovation and Commercialisation at SETU, said, "Joining the Impact Licensing Initiative represents an important step in SETU's commitment to ensuring that our research delivers meaningful impact. Commercialisation remains a critical pathway for translating research into real-world applications, but we also recognise the opportunity to consider how licensing arrangements can support wider societal and environmental objectives. He continued, "Through this collaboration, SETU can contribute to emerging European best practice while exploring new opportunities for our researchers and industry partners."
Strengthening European Collaboration
"We are delighted to welcome South East Technological University to the TT4I network as our first university partner in Ireland."
The TT4I network is being developed to connect technology owners, intermediaries and organisations capable of deploying innovative solutions in new and underserved markets. Participating institutions can contribute through technology screening, partner identification, licensing support and the development of impact-oriented applications.
Johan Moyersoen, General Manager of the Impact Licensing Initiative welcomed SETU's participation; "We are delighted to welcome South East Technological University to the TT4I network as our first university partner in Ireland. Universities play a vital role in generating the knowledge and technologies needed to address today's societal and environmental challenges. By working together, we can explore how innovative licensing approaches can open new pathways for technologies to reach the people and communities that can benefit from them, while maintaining opportunities for commercial development."
Dr. Silvie Daniels, Network Director at the Impact Licensing Initiative, added, "Building a strong and collaborative network is central to the success of the Impact Licensing Initiative. Through the TT4I network, we aim to connect universities, researchers and innovation partners across Europe, creating opportunities to share knowledge, identify technologies with societal potential and develop new pathways for impact. SETU's participation represents an important step in strengthening this collaboration and demonstrating how impact licensing can become part of everyday technology transfer practice."
Supporting the future of knowledge valorisation
SETU's involvement comes at a time when European policy is placing increasing emphasis on knowledge valorisation - ensuring that research-generated knowledge creates economic, social and environmental value.
Carol Faughnan, Commercialisation Case Officer at SETU's Technology Transfer Office, added "At SETU, our Technology Transfer professionals regularly navigate decisions involving commercial value, access to innovation and the wider mission of the University. Impact licensing provides an opportunity to consider these objectives at an early stage, rather than treating societal impact as something to be addressed after commercialisation."
She explained, "Our participation in the TT4I network will allow us to explore how licensing strategies can support commercial opportunities alongside positive societal outcomes, while contributing to practical approaches that can be adopted more widely across the sector."
Through its participation, SETU will have opportunities to engage in collaborative workshops, knowledge-sharing activities and technology screening exercises, helping to identify research innovations suitable for impact-oriented licensing.
The collaboration reinforces SETU's commitment to connecting research excellence with real-world applications and supporting innovation that delivers lasting benefits for industry, communities and society.
SETU's Technology Transfer Office (TTO) is co funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Knowledge Transfer (KT) Boost Programme and is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under two European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Regional Programmes – the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027 and the Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021- 2027.
