Successful Science-Industry projects MINANO Finland/Mexico (coordinators) Mika Paajanen, Chief research scientist,.Sc.(Tech), Functional polymers, VTT.

Successful Science-Industry projects

• MINANO

• Finland/Mexico (coordinators)

Mika Paajanen, Chief research scientist, .Sc.(Tech), Functional polymers,

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

BackgroundMinano Project resulted from the Mexico-EU Coordinated call –

Theme Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials & new production

Technologies (NMP) NMP-FP7-2010-1.2-5 Adding Value to Mining at

Nanostructure level  

• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland overall coordinator as R&D Center

• Peñoles - the second largest mining company in Mexico, producer of high-quatlity nanoparticles coordinator of the Mexican partners

Project goal• Goal: Develop a mass production method

for the Mg(OH)2, ZnO ja Ag nanoparticles and produce plastic and wood-plastic nanocomposites utilizing the nanoparticles

• Duration: 10/2010-9/2013

• Type of supporting funding scheme: EU/CONACYT

Company insertion process?How + by whom was the company introduced to this project

opportunity?• In first stage the project opportunity was suggested

by VTT to Peñoles.

What were the principal incentives/arguments to try to join

the consortium?• VTT (EU) and Peñoles (Mexico) wanted to be the

coordinators, because the initial ideas of the project were planned together

Company insertion process?What were the crucial factors for deciding to join?

• The opportunity to work with a producer of high-quatlity nanoparticles (Peñoles)

What were the major difficulties in joining the consortium?• The major difficulty was to find a correct mining

company and contact person from that company in Mexico

Were the benefits & costs of joining the project, clear to the

company (at insertion)?• The funding was only available for Mexico/EU

cooperation

Consortium structure

Leader of the project (company or R&D inst?)• The overall coordinator VTT is a R&D centre• The coordinator of the Mexican partners is

the second largest mining company in Mexico

Consortium structure

Companies and R&D institutions participating:

• VTT, R&D centre, Finland, 961,493 €• Peñoles, industry, Mexico, 612,167 €• DTU, university, Denmark, 351,200 €• CIQA, R&D centre, Mexico, 313,499 €• CIMAV, R&D centre, Mexico, 330,999 €• SOFTER, industry, Italy, 435,410 €• UASLP, university, Mexico, 116,556 €• SOVERE, industry, Italy, 366,864 €• Owens corning, industry, Mexico/Brazil, 147,000/ 115,520 €

Consortium structure

Any specific role that the company plays compared to the

academic partners?• Peñoles massproduces nanoparticles and their

chemical functionalization process• SOFTER developes plastic products with

functionalities enhanced by the nanoparticles• SOVERE developes wood-plastic composites with

functionalities enhanced by the nanoparticles• Owens Corning produces building materials utilizing

the functional nanocomposites

IPR managementHow was the sharing of results agreed between

participants?• We have a Consortium agreement and the

rules of EU Grant Agreement

Was there a consortium agreement between

partners? YES

Was there any cause for problems in this respect? • Yes, it has taken a lot of time to receive

signatures to the CA and GA

Obstacles identifiedHighlight the least positive factors of

collaboration process since the consortium’s

set up, till the end of the project.

• Difficulty to receive response to email

• Difficulty to get in touch by phone or by any other mean

• Difficulty to find the person who takes responsibility

Obstacles identifiedHighlight the least positive factors of collaboration process

since the consortium’s set up, till the end of the project.• Difficulty to receive response to email • Difficulty to get in touch by any mean

Highlight what aspects could be improved in the respective

S&T system in order to foster more successful science

industry projects.• Create similar template-supported fundamental

documents and guides for the project preparation as in EU for LA as well

Critical factors of successHighlight the critical factors of success beyond

the project, namely:• Previous history of collaboration between partners?

• There was previous collaboration between the Mexican partners themselves, and between SOFTER and SOVERE in Europe

• No other previous collaboration• Technical and financial balanced consortium?

• The work between the Mexican and European partners is quite well balanced and supporting each other

• External consultancy support or internal expertise on project management?• Support from the EU team within VTT

• Clear IPR management?• Support from the EU team within VTT

Ex-post recommendations?Given the company’s past or ongoing experience in the project, what recommendations could you propose for increased future private company partnering in these kind of projects?

1. Provide mutual funding opportunities for cooperation2. Demand cooperation as a prerequisite for funding, but

do not make conditions too high, e.g. one partner from each region could be a start

3. Support the private companies only, if R&D centres or universities are involved in the consortium (they usually are more dedicated for finding funding)

Mika PaajanenChief research scientist, D.Sc.(Tech)

Functional polymersVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland