Malaga RTO Discussion October 1st 2024 Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi, CEO TNO, and Luc Van den hove, CEO imec,

UNDERSTANDING STRATEGIES OF TWO EUROPEAN RTO’s. If your photonics company (large or small) does business with either TNO or imec, then this panel discussion on the first day of the Optica Global Economics Forum in Malaga will definitely interest you. Both are large Research and Technology organisations in the Netherlands and Belgium respectively. Moderator Jim Kafka, president-elect of Optica, moderated a discussion with Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi, CEO of TNO, and Luc Van den Hove, CEO of imec, focusing on the transition from research to commercialization. Tjark highlighted TNO's diversified portfolio and the need for them to focus to improve market impact. Luc emphasized imec's customer-centric approach, adjusting technology readiness levels (TRL) based on individual partnerships. Both stressed the importance of long-term partnerships, global collaboration, and strategic interdependence. Duplication of effort wastes valuable, expensive resources. They discussed the challenges of attracting and retaining talent, emphasizing brand reputation and meaningful work. The conversation also gathered differing approaches to the role of roadmaps, the impact of globalization and current instabilities, and the balance between public and private sector interests in technology transfer. I especially liked the audience question: When do you say NO?