News
Press release, 12 March 2007
Iceland transforms research into business
The Danish experience with The Law on Inventions is the point of departure for the trans-formation of Icelandic research into business. The University of Iceland and the University Hospital of Iceland have just introduced a cooperation with Chas. Hude, a leading Danish IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) consultancy firm.
Today knowledge can be traded as goods. It is important to focus on the fact that intellec-tual properties and values play a more significant role in the modern society. The University of Iceland and the University Hospital of Iceland are recognized research institutions with high-technological health research as one of their main strengths, particularly within genet-ics and post genomic research. The researchers are already working in cooperation with companies and research institutions all over the world. Now the research institutions are in-creasing their focus on the cooperation with the industry with the aim of transforming re-search into business.
Ágúst H. Ingthórsson, Director of the Research Liaison Office at the University of Iceland, says:
"Investment in research is an investment in the future. The research institutions play a sig-nificant role in today's knowledge society. Our force is based on curiosity and an ability to innovate. But we should improve the commercialization of our knowledge and innovations in cooperation with the industry."
That is one of the reasons why the Icelandic Government from 2007 to 2011 has decided to increase the research funding of the University significantly. This increase requires the Uni-versity to perform and some of the criteria are increased cooperation with the industry and success in the commercialization of research results.
"If we perform, the University will receive € 35 M more for research per year by 2011 than today - which will almost double the research budget of 2005 that was € 20 M. That will really transform our institution and have a significant impact on the Icelandic society," Ágúst H. Ingthórsson says.
Since Charles von der Hude founded the company in 1896, Chas. Hude has provided inde-pendent advice within all areas of intellectual property law e.g. traditional protection of pat-ents, trade marks and designs. Today Chas. Hude has extended the company's wide range of services to include also commercial consultancy.
In 1999 Denmark enacted the so called Law on Inventions. The aim of the law is to ensure that Danish research is developed into innovation with a commercial potential for the benefit of the community. 1 January 2005 a similar law - the Icelandic Law on Inventions of Em-ployees - was enacted in Iceland.
"We have chosen Chas. Hude to be our IP consultant with regard to patenting and com-mercialization of knowledge due to the firm's solid expertise and experience within this area. I have high expectations to our cooperation. Above all I look forward to bringing some of our inventions and innovative ideas to the market," Ágúst H. Ingthórsson says.
Contact
- René Jakobsen
Head of Communications, Chas. Hude
(+45) 33 19 34 52 / 51 99 34 52
rj@chashude.dk - Ágúst H. Ingthórsson
Director of Research Liaison Office,
University of Iceland
(+ 354) 525 4090
ahi@hi.is
