“Research provides the ideas, insights and technologies that make progress possible in the first place. It reaches its full potential when it finds its way out of laboratories and institutes and into practice. This is exactly where the Berlin Transfer Bridge comes in: it strengthens knowledge and technology transfer and thus supports the goals of Berlin’s research policy. In this way, scientific findings become solutions that improve people’s lives, strengthen the economy and help shape the future of our city.”
Dr Ina Czyborra, Senator for Higher Education and Research, Health and Long-Term Care
Where Research Drives Innovation
The high density of excellent universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutions in the capital region makes it possible to turn research results quickly and effectively into innovative products, processes and high-tech solutions. Berlin’s vibrant start-up scene, shaped by many successful spin-offs from research, is evidence of this.
The Berlin Transfer Bridge (BTB) is a shared framework for transfer policy developed by the State of Berlin’s Senate Departments for science and for economic affairs. It supports continuous transfer pathways, from research to spin-offs to the scaling of existing companies through science-based innovation. In doing so, it helps to connect universities, universities of applied sciences and non-university research institutions even more closely and systematically with Berlin’s business community. The aim is to unlock the potential of Berlin’s research for commercial use in a lasting and effective way, for the benefit of Berlin’s companies and of the city as a location for science and business. The BTB bridges the State of Berlin’s research policy and its technology policy.
The Berlin Transfer Bridge links the Berlin Research Policy Strategy of the Senate Department for Higher Education and Research, Health and Long-Term Care with the Deep Tech Agenda Berlin of the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises. It is the result of a broad, participatory process involving stakeholders from science, business, intermediary institutions and public administration, in which the newly established Berlin Transfer Council played a central role as an advisory body. The BTB aims to create a coordinated, synchronized transfer policy that makes Berlin’s innovation ecosystem one of Europe’s leading locations for science and business when it comes to commercializing research results and science-driven innovation.