ITTA — IOCB Tech Transfer AcademyPilot · Autumn 2026

From Bench
to Blueprint

A hands-on validation programme for IOCB scientists who want to discover the real-world potential of their research.

The programme is free of charge and held biweekly at IOCB premises. Delivered by IOCB Tech Group experts and selected external mentors.

Express Interest View Programme

Questions? Write to academy@iocbtech.cz

WorkshopsSequential, biweekly

HoursOf practical training

ParticipantsPilot cohort, IOCB only

Programme Introduction

A practical path from a research idea to its first real-world validation.

Bi-weekly workshops designed to give you practical tools — no theoretical lectures. Each session builds directly on the previous one. Your idea or project becomes the case study.

The programme is delivered primarily by IOCB Tech Group experts and selected external mentors, and it is free of charge for all IOCB employees, including students.

Mindset

Science-first

We do not ask you to become an entrepreneur. We help you understand what your science can become.

Delivery

Internally anchored

Delivered by IOCB Tech Group experts who know the Institute’s ecosystem, alongside experienced external mentors.

Method

Outcome-oriented

Every session concludes with a specific deliverable — practical skills applicable to commercialization.

Who can apply

Any IOCB employee — PhD student, postdoc, or group leader, core facility or administrative staff. Ever wondered what commercialisation looks like? You have questions; now it is time to find the answers.

You have

2–4 hours every two weeks for your development
An interest in applying your science into practice
Questions about intellectual property, licensing, or commercialization
Interest in trying something new

You don’t need

A finished product or prototype
A co-founder or team
Prior business or entrepreneurship experience
Money. The programme is free of charge to all IOCB employees, including students

What you will get

Bi-weekly workshops designed to give you practical tools — no theoretical lectures. Each session builds directly on the previous one. Your idea or project will be the case study.

You will learn how to

Think about your idea from a business perspective
Present your research to non-scientists
Create and protect intellectual property and understand why it matters
Test your assumptions with people from the industry
Distil your science into a compelling story for industry partners
Understand what it takes to move research towards commercial use

Transferable skills

You will learn new transferable skills that will:

Show you new career opportunities
Increase your success in funding
Help you understand your research from a different perspective

Each workshop produces a concrete deliverable that feeds into the next session.

Technical information

Programme modules — Autumn 2026.

Seven sequential modules. Each module produces a concrete deliverable that feeds the next.

Format: Bi-weekly workshops, on-site
Duration: 20 hours over autumn 2026
Location: IOCB premises, Prague
Language: English
Fee: Free for all IOCB staff
Cohort: 30 participants, pilot run

Problem–Solution Fit
How to use the find a problem that your research project may solve and what practical tools may help you with proving your hypothesis.
Intellectual Property Protection & Strategy
What is intellectual property (IP) and how you can use it for your project, when to file and what you can disclose and how
Presentation to Industry Partners
How to present your project to partners who do not really understand your language and how to talk to industry partners
Product & Validation
How to turn research into a real product used by those who need it and how to test your hypothesis against the actual needs of your partners
Customer Discovery
Who is the customer of your product and how to tell if the user of your product is really your customer paying the bills
Final Presentations
Hone presentation skills, present the outcomes of the customer discovery process
Retrospective and feedback