The MultiRATE Holistic Readiness Level framework for civil security technologies

<ns3:p>Background The common use of the traditional Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale in evaluating civil security technologies has revealed a significant problem: TRL, although a standard metric, is limited for complex innovations. It does not fully address risks and non-technical factors that are important for successful technological deployment. This creates a gap in assessment approaches, often referred to as the “Valley of Death” in innovation funding and technology transition. To address this, the MultiRATE Holistic Readiness Level (HRL) framework is introduced in this paper, aiming to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of civil security technology maturity. Methods Our method, developed within the EU-funded MultiRATE project, combines seven key readiness dimensions: TRL, Societal RL (SocRL), Security RL (SecRL), Legal, Privacy, and Ethics RL (LPERL), Integration RL (IRL), enhanced Commercialization RL (en-CRL), and Manufacturing RL (MRL), all adapted to the specifics of the security sector. Our approach, unlike the fragmented nature of existing individual readiness level assessments, provides a unified understanding of technology’s readiness, including an investment forecasting module to estimate the costs for maturity progression. Results The MultiRATE HRL framework and its components were evaluated through a structured validation process with an external network of experts, following the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM). This validation confirms the framework’s feasibility and practical use in providing a more accurate assessment of security technology maturity. Conclusions MultiRATE provides a common language for researchers, end-users, and funding bodies, helping to de-risk the innovation process and bridge the “Valley of Death”. The web-based MultiRATE HRL calculator is accessible at https://hrl.multiratehl.iti.gr.</ns3:p>