Culture, knowledge and incentives form the base of a wicked three-body problem in research commercialisation, which has to be solved to boost technology transfer without causing monster system failures.

Transforming isolated knowledge silos into decentralized support networks can have a huge impact on the transfer of emerging technologies and commercialization of innovations.

Assumptions are a potent tool to steer and accelerate innovations and technology transfer endeavours toward success in dynamic and uncertain environments.

Statism and libertarianism offer antagonistic viewpoints about how emerging research and technology should be funded but their study can help reflect on the right balance between public and private contributions.

Science communication, technology transfer and science policy are three relevant pathways available to academics to translate their research findings into societal impact.

The shift towards a holistic and integrated technology transfer has the potential to enhance the success rate of certain entrepreneurial endeavours originating from academic institutions.

During the transfer of technology to a licensing partner, academic inventors that have nurtured and developed the invention during years must let it go and endure the practice of technological detachment.

Research and technological innovations have long been associated with value creation, and yet, most societies struggle to decisively invest in them. The opportunity cost of undervaluing may haunt us in the future.

Humans, companies and technologies have the right to discriminate – to differentiate. However, the pursuit of maximum impact can sometimes pushes the development of disruptive technologies towards democratization.

Human relations are the powerhouse of technology transfer. Beyond technology itself, the success of research commercialization is largely based on the emotional intelligence required to build, trust, and empower human relations.

Guiding principles can help optimize and align our technology transfer actions with our core values. Therefore, it is beneficial to reflect about our own principles and engage in an open discussion about them.