Innovation is fun. Filing patents is thrilling. Publishing papers? A dopamine rush.
But here’s the inconvenient truth: citations don’t pay salaries, and patents don’t fund payrolls.
The trap most innovators fall into is simple:
they romance the invention, not the impact.
They build for applause at conferences, not adoption in markets.
They chase novelty, not necessity.
And then one day reality whispers,
“Brilliant IP… but where’s the ROI?”
Think before you invent
Most scholars tinker first, monetise later. That’s like cooking a dish and only after plating it, wondering who’s hungry enough to pay. The smarter route? Start with the diner in mind—your user. If your invention doesn’t solve pain or spark delight, it’s just academic calories.
A patent in a drawer is no different from poetry on a napkin.
Yes, it exists. No, it doesn’t sell.
Ask yourself: will someone license this, subscribe to this, or pay a premium for this?
If not, you’ve innovated for the examiner, not the end-user.
Monetisation is not an afterthought; it’s the twin of innovation.
Here are real routes from lab to market:
a) #Licensing: Corporates pay royalties, you keep innovating.
b) #StrategicPartnerships: Co-develop with industry players.
c) #PlatformPlay: Create IP that others must plug into.
d) #OutrightSale: Find a buyer who can pay suitable valuation.
e) #LaunchVenture: Wrap your IP into a startup, raise funds, chase growth.
Enter the Universities
Here’s the gap: universities cheer when scholars file patents, but often go silent when it’s time to file invoices.
They must not just nurture innovation, but also navigate it.
This means guiding scholars toward industry relevance, not just academic reverence. Universities should bridge the gap between lab brilliance and market readiness by collaborating with corporates and investors.
Beware the “IP museum”
That’s the fancy shelf where brilliant patents gather dust because nobody asked: who needs this, who pays for this?
Innovation without commercialisation is just intellectual decoration.
Remember,
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Don’t invent for vanity, invent for velocity.
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Don’t create for papers, create for people.
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Don’t just hold IP, make IP hold income.
Because at the end of the day, patents don’t pay bills. ROI does.
P.S.:
Recently, Dr. Nikita Vadsaria (Head – Strategic Partnerships at Syncoro Ventures Private Limited) conducted a workshop on “Tech Transfer Insights: Turning Ideas into Marketable Solutions” for 70+ professors of a leading university. It was a powerful reminder that the bridge between invention and income is not automatic—it must be built. So, if you are working on innovation or already hold IP, reach out to us and explore how to turn your idea into a market-ready, money-making machine.