Business Models of Technology Transfer in the Agro-Industrial Complex: Institutional Configurations and Implementation Cases

The article analyzes business models of technology transfer in the agro-industrial complex from the perspective of institutional economics and applied innovation policy. The focus is placed on defining the role of universities as key actors in the transfer process, capable not only of developing scientific solutions but also of supporting, adapting, and institutionalizing them within the production environment. The necessity of transitioning from a linear model of transferring intellectual property results to cooperative forms of interaction is substantiated, taking into account the technology readiness level (TRL) and market expectations. The article proposes an approach to designing transfer business models based on the functional differentiation of roles among the developer, technical customer, producer, and end user. A review of international transfer models is presented, along with a critical assessment of the barriers to their adaptation in the Russian agricultural sector. It is shown that the specificity of the agro-industrial complex requires flexible implementation models that account for high levels of technological and institutional risks, dispersion of economic agents, and regulatory uncertainty. The study examines various forms of interaction depending on the maturity stage of the technology and the level of stakeholder engagement. The findings can be used to further explore economic mechanisms of technology transfer and develop regulatory frameworks for agricultural innovation.