Law 17/2022, of 5 September, amending Law 14/2011, of 1 June, on Science, Technology and Innovation, includes measures for the valorisation of knowledge by enhancing the transfer activity from public implementing agents through knowledge transfer offices.
Royal Decree 984/2022, of November 22, establishes the Knowledge Transfer Offices (OTC) and its OTC Registry, dependent on the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and regulates the procedure for its recognition and registration and cancellation.
The OTC are intermediary entities in the Spanish system of science, technology and innovation, which are entrusted with the mission of dynamizing the relations between the agents of the system, through the following functions:
- The protection of R+D+I results through industrial and intellectual property titles, or other forms of protection.
- The exploitation of research results, inventions and new technologies through any type of contract that involves the transmission of its use or ownership to third parties.
- Collaborative research between public and private entities, as well as the contracting of R+D+I and technological services.
- The promotion of the creation of knowledge-based entities.
- The social diffusion of knowledge.
The Royal Decree entered into force on July 1, 2023. From that date all interested entities that comply with the requirements provided by the standard will be able to submit their applications for registration through the electronic headquarters of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
