What are some innovative ways to commercialize materials science research?

Recognize there is a threshold that separates research (cheap to do) and development (costly to do) that shouldn't be crossed prematurely: a) conduct research using highly miniaturized versions of your system (allows you to run many experiments); b) shift gears and follow the data wherever it may lead instead of being locked into a project management mentality. Things change, so entrepreneurs must resist the urge to keep telling investors the same story and investors must resist the urge to keep telling the entrepreneur to focus. Otherwise both parties bury themselves in BS; your best people see this and won't stick around.

As a person moving from academic research to industrial research I would say to commercialize material science research we need to identify the gap between them. Identify what the industry needs. Find a research question which is relevant to the industry and research more in that direction. This can fast-track the commercialization of materials research and finally to products.

In my experience, the materials and related technological application should be developed based on the market need and hot research topics. Then use TRL ( Technology Readiness Level) to evaluate the market readiness. If TRL- 5 for any application of a developed material is reached, then one could approach appropriate industries or start-ups to further improve the TRL upto 9 or 10. A thorough technoeconomic analysis and market potential must be evaluated before scaling up the technology to higher TRL.

Recognise that commercialising a MATERIAL is much harder than developing a PRODUCT with a specific APPLICATION. You might be excited that your new material has properties unlike what's already available, but why should anybody else be? What can it be used for? Do the improvements really justify the increase in cost and/or complexity? Often, the best way forward is to pick one application with a clear market case, develop your material into a product that meets that need, and use it as a basis from which to expand the commercialisation of your material. Many researchers see this sort of focus on just one application as a step backwards, but one product out in the market and being successful can be worth more than a whole heap of potential.

New materials can often make things that were previously impossible, possible. So, conversations in markets need to explore "what would you like to be able to do?" to identify where your new properties add the most value. However, keeping in mind the time-to-revenue in your target market is critical. Solving a smaller issue in one market where you can expect commercial traction in 2-3 years versus a larger one elsewhere with a 5+ year lead time is just common sense if you are operating under investment funding.

We have found real benefit in adopting a version of the age-old TRL system: Technology Readiness Levels. Not only are you de-risking the technology for your target customers, but you are also offering them a solution not a capability (more valuable and faster to revenue), furthermore you are side-stepping issues of IP ownership if your customer isn't helping you to develop that solution. This final issue can be the killer.

Productising the innovation is a key need. The solution needs to be in a form for the user or customer to use in a very natural way. Changing habits or standard systems always act as barriers to adoption of novel innovation.

Although regular tests are required for evaluation of materials, harsh conditions tests are beneficial to validate status of materials under irregular circumstances.

Whilst having strong and fundamental IP is a must in my view, so is making sure you rapidly get "big friends" as you commercialise. Defending IP is difficult and expensive and comes down often to the depth of your pockets rather than the validity of the challenge. If you have a big customer who's invested in your technology as a licensor then you have a big friend who might help you to defend your IP and their market position.

It's not only your IP portfolio that matters. You also need to understand very well your freedom to operate, and gauge early on if you'll need to license some technologies, e.g., when scaling up.

Based on my experiences, it is vital and essential for a team to fully understand about the goals of the team. Motivation, team working, collaboration behavior and loyalty are the most important criteria for the team.

Cannot stress enough that a positive culture is required, and managers or funders will be seen as those setting a standard or being an example. You will be a role model in these positions, so your performance and attitude need to be impeccable.

As far as I know, the system should be dynamic and also adaptable to the customer needs. This is the mystery of successful business.

Critical to engaging major customers if you are opting to be an ingredient technology in their products is being able to clearly articulate the "end user benefit" that they will market to their customers. Whilst it might seem obvious, you'll initially be talking to product developers within your customer organisation. They want to focus on material capabilities and it's easy to forget that it's the marketeers that hold the power over product launches so user-benefit is key to the final value proposition.

I would recommend doing this step after market research (Step Two). Figuring out whether you want to focus as a B2B or B2C company can have dramatic impacts on your team’s direction/milestones for fund raising, the cost of your supply chain, and marketing your concepts & products. Knowing these which direction you take, will help hone and focus in on the team and IP you need to protect and promote your technology. For instance, a lot of new companies coming out of universities start by trying to grab big name, “grey haired” executives out of Fortune 500 companies, who may or may not have experience growing a B2C with limited funds.

Learn > Adapt > Pivot - follow a few iterations before scaling. Not getting lost in iterations, but pivots help in refining process and removes possible glitches that can impact customer perception and hinder adoption.

Develop VR and AR experiences that enable users to explore the microstructures of materials or virtually interact with materials in a 3D environment. This immersive technology can provide a deeper understanding of material properties. Produce podcasts and webinars that discuss materials science topics in an accessible and engaging way. Invite experts to share their research and insights with a wide-ranging audience. Collaborate with industry leaders to showcase real-world applications of materials science research. Highlight the role of materials in everyday products, from electronics to sustainable packaging.

A lot is missing! Some quick ones: You will make mistakes and you will fail. Sometimes it's just a matter of luck. Don't give up, accept failure and criticism, learn from it. You need to start with something that is not perfect, so remember to identify your Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Don't aim for perfection in the beginning. No product is perfect. This is the bane of engineers! Take breaks and remember to think. Look at your competitors and never stop analyzing the market and what's happening around you. Create your marketing and brand. Finally, be honest with others when you engage, particularly with larger companies or experienced people. They will see through lies, and it will tarnish your reputation forever. Don't be FTX😉

You need first and foremost to find sponsors that will be willing to sponsor your start-up, as everything in the commercialization of materials at the beginning is a start-up which requires investment. Identifying your niche is great and everything, but usually, you have the material in this field and only afterward try to come up with creative ideas on how it can be applied, and for that, funding, funding, funding, and once more funding.

Making novel materials can be done in a variety of ways. The final device for electrical applications must contain a variety of materials, and compatibility with other materials inside the device is crucial. For the best performance of the finished product, compatibility with other materials used in the device should be taken into account when developing a material.

I would also recommend analyzing your potential customers product marketing. In the 15 years I’ve been doing R&D and New Product Development a major flaw I’ve seen is working with brands with little to no emphasis on marketing effectively to spread the word. Obviously, landing a major client like a Nike or Apple can be a great way to address that, the truth is most MSE-driven material technologies usually need 2-3 engaging client applications to reach commercial scaling and market awareness/engagement.