From Research to Reality: Empowering Innovation through Bench2Biz and Moonshot Living Labs

Bridging the gap between academic control research and industrial application is crucial for turning innovations into real-world solutions. This talk shares the speaker’s experience as the knowledge and technology transfer coordinator of NCCR Automation, outlining how structured programs accelerate the journey from lab to market. A strong emphasis is placed on multi-stakeholder engagement: the presentation highlights fostering entrepreneurship among young researchers (e.g. through Bench2Biz workshops) and collaborative "Moonshot" living labs that unite researchers, industry, citizens, and policymakers. It discusses practical strategies for technology transfer, candid challenges encountered, and success stories in translating lab discoveries into real-world deployments. The talk offers lessons for academics, industry practitioners, and policymakers on building an ecosystem where research innovations yield societal benefits.