MAHE Workshop Emphasizes Commercialisation of Intellectual Property to Drive Innovation

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in Karnataka recently organized a comprehensive workshop titled ‘IP2E360 – Intellectual Property to Enterprise: A 360-Degree Perspective’ aimed at researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs. The event was held under the aegis of MARInE (Manipal Accelerating Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship), MAHE’s flagship program designed to bolster its research and innovation ecosystem.

A key feature of the inaugural session was the unveiling of the ‘Patent Dashboard,’ developed by Lextria Research. This innovative tool offers patent-related insights and analytics to assist researchers and innovators in effectively managing and leveraging their intellectual property portfolios.

The workshop convened a diverse group of experts and participants to delve into critical aspects of intellectual property, including technology transfer, commercialisation strategies, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Sharath K Rao, Vice Chancellor of MAHE, addressed attendees by emphasizing the imperative to extend research efforts beyond mere knowledge creation. He advocated for translating intellectual property into tangible innovations that generate meaningful societal impact. Rao stressed the importance of cultivating a robust ecosystem that integrates academia, industry stakeholders, and alumni networks to facilitate this transformation.

Swapnil Jayanth Gawande, Founder and CEO of BLI Consultancy Pvt Ltd, Amravati, urged academic institutions to shift their focus from merely increasing patent counts to prioritizing commercialisation and licensing. He highlighted the necessity of converting research outputs and intellectual property into market-ready innovations that can generate revenue and drive economic growth.

Karunakar A Kotegar, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Technology and Science) at MAHE, reinforced this message by calling for a paradigm shift from publications and patent filings toward creating intellectual wealth through innovation and enterprise. He linked these efforts to broader national objectives, specifically the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047,’ underscoring the role of intellectual property in fostering societal advancement.

The workshop’s discussions underscored the critical role of intellectual property management and commercialisation in strengthening India’s innovation landscape. By equipping researchers and entrepreneurs with tools like the Patent Dashboard and fostering collaborative ecosystems, MAHE aims to accelerate the translation of research into impactful technologies and enterprises.

This initiative reflects a growing recognition within Indian academia of the need to bridge the gap between research outputs and market applications, ensuring that intellectual property serves as a catalyst for economic and social development.

The IP2E360 workshop at MAHE thus represents a strategic step toward empowering innovators to harness their intellectual assets effectively, aligning with national priorities and global best practices in technology transfer and entrepreneurship.