A Global Healthcare Equipment Manufacturer

In the healthcare sector, a global healthcare equipment manufacturer is a world leading supplier of diagnostic imaging equipment, systems, and services that span technologies including X ray, a major research institute, CT and ultrasound. Business and consumer demand for innovative products and services has driven companies to look critically at the capacity of their own R&D pipelines. Many have concluded that, in order to remain competitive, they must supplement their in-house efforts through the acquisition of new innovations from universities, research institutes, innovative start-ups and other established businesses. Oxford Oracle worked collaboratively with a global healthcare equipment manufacturer in 2015 to provide

Knowledge Exchange: the objective of this phase was for Oxford Oracle to clearly understand and detail Toshibas search specification. During this phase, information passed in both directions regarding the types of technologies of interest and broad areas of research to verify and enhance the understanding on both sides. It also provided an opportunity for a global healthcare equipment manufacturer to refine their thinking to ensure that subsequent work met their evolving needs. Oxford Oracle provided a global healthcare equipment manufacturer with an outline of 24 projects based within the medical sciences which Oxford Oracle has brought to successful conclusions. Oxford Oracle used feedback from a global healthcare equipment manufacturer on this document and other such materials to refine its search strategy and improve search results. The detailed tasks for this stage included, reading briefing materials provided by the client, interviewing members of the client's internal team; preparing a specification brief; refining the brief in response to client feedback; production of a set of clear search criteria; and finally an agreed form for development of Project Opportunities Shortlists for use in the subsequent phases Opportunity Search. The Opportunity Search identified a broad range of opportunities meeting the target specification; tasks included carrying out desk-based research of the scientific and patent literature; review lists of technologies available for licensing from universities, research institutes and MedtTech SMEs; interviewing network contacts in order to identify early stage research opportunities; interviewing network contacts to identify opportunities from existing businesses; where appropriate, brainstorm applications for platform technologies; and where and meeting Oxford experts to discuss technology roadmaps and potentially disruptive technologies. A monthly Project Opportunities Shortlist was then produced for consideration by a global healthcare equipment manufacturer; detailing the technology area, project title, source (University, Company, investment opportunity etc.) and a summary of the technology.

The intervention established a clear commercialisation route, improved institutional innovation management capabilities, and enabled successful long-term engagement with international industry partners.