The Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences welcomed Dr. Diane Bouis, an international expert in technology transfer, science-based startup development and innovation investment.

Dr. Bouis has extensive experience in technology transfer, including her work at the University of Michigan, known for one of the leading university technology transfer and commercialisation operations in the United States. She also mentors science-based startups within leading US accelerator programmes.

During her visit, Dr. Bouis met with the Institute’s leadership to discuss the further development of Vinča’s technology transfer and innovation commercialisation activities. The conversation focused on practices that could strengthen the Technology Transfer Office, provide more systematic support to researchers, and build stronger links between scientific results, industry, investors and the market.

Dr Bouis’s visit, together with the collaboration with the 6SAVA project and the Belgrade Science and Technology Park, forms part of a broader effort to strengthen the Institute’s capacities in this area. Further steps are planned to support researchers more systematically and to advance technologies and innovations with potential for application and commercialisation.

An important part of the visit consisted of one-to-one meetings with Vinča researchers and teams developing innovations, technologies and startup projects. Dr Bouis also visited several of the Institute’s laboratories, where she became acquainted with ongoing research, technological capabilities, strengths and the challenges involved in moving scientific results towards broader application.

Bringing science, investors and the innovation ecosystem to the same table

The visit concluded with “Investing in Scientific Innovation: Yes/No and Why? – Science, Innovation and Investment”, held on 2 September at the Belgrade Science and Technology Park and organised by the Belgrade Science and Technology Park, the 6SAVA project and the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences. The gathering brought together leaders of scientific institutions, investors, representatives of accelerators and incubators, and other actors from the innovation ecosystem.

The central part of the evening was an open discussion in which shared challenges were examined from different perspectives. In the second part of the event, Dr. Bouis was joined online by Asher Siddiqui and David Kereiakes.

Asher is an internationally experienced venture investor with more than 25 years in venture capital and technology investing. Asher Siddiqui is Managing Director at Song United and founder of ASILICA, a San Francisco Bay Area–based global venture investor. Over the past 25 years, he has helped deploy more than $7 billion in capital, closed over $15 billion in M&A transactions, generated more than $3.5 billion in realized profits, backed more than 100 early-stage companies, and invested in more than 18 venture funds. He is also a frequent guest lecturer at Stanford University on venture capital and entrepreneurship and has trained hundreds of professionals building and managing new venture funds across Europe and globally.

David Kereiakes is Managing Partner at New York–based Windham Capital Partners and an experienced healthcare investor with a track record across medical technology, digital health and healthcare services. As an investor, board member and advisor, he has helped healthcare entrepreneurs realize well over $1 billion in value.

The Institute would like to thank the speakers for taking the time to share their experience and perspectives with the participants, and for contributing through their presence to stronger connections across the ecosystem and to strengthening the Western Balkans innovation ecosystem in the field of scientific innovation.

One of the main aims of the gathering was to create new connections between people working in different parts of the innovation system. Among the most valuable outcomes were new contacts, exchanges of experience, and discussions with potential future partners and collaborators.

For the Vinča Institute, activities of this kind form part of a broader effort to connect science more closely with industry, entrepreneurship, investors and the international innovation ecosystem.