Outreach for University-Industry Collaboration

This project investigates how the way of outreach influences the success of university-industry collaboration. Specifically, it will test whether contact with companies mediated by Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) generates more engagement compared to direct outreach by researchers. The study will design and pilot a randomized field experiment embedded within a proof-of-concept programme at CCG/ZGDV. Both researchers and TTO staff will approach companies using standardized technology offers, allowing for comparable assessment of response and meeting rates. The project aims to validate the experimental design, refine measurement tools, and collect preliminary data for a future large-scale RCT. By focusing on micro-level interaction mechanisms, this study will fill a key gap in evidence-based innovation policy and provide actionable insights to improve technology commercialization practices and the effectiveness of university-industry interfaces in Portugal, Europe and other OECD contexts.

Key facts

Principal Investigator: Ricardo J. Machado
Co-PI: Telmo André Neves dos Santos
Affiliation: Professor, University of Minho