Research becomes useful technology for society through strategic partnership

NGI has chosen Kjeller Innovation as its strategic partner to commercialize results from research and development. Innovative solutions developed in NGI's project activities shall become even greater benefit and use to society.

- Kjeller Innovation has long experience in getting new technology out on the market, and we learn much from our frequent discussions on ideas and opportunities with them, says James Strout, Head of technology development and innovation at NGI.

Kjeller Innovation is the project manager for NGI's commercialization priorities which are included in FORNY2020, which is the Research Council of Norway's program to create value and benefits for society from research results. Kjeller Innovation has the status of commercialization actor (TTO-Technology Transfer Office) in FORNY2020. NGI is co-owner and R & D-partner in two such initiatives:

• IMiRO – Innovative monitoring of environmental risk – is a R&D-project where NGI has developed a new method for continuous identification of oil spills in water, based on real time data. This will also allow for early warning and localization of any oil leaks. The method can help prevent disasters in the offshore oil and gas industry, with potentially major economic and environmental consequences.
• Airborne Electromagnetics (AEM) is a method which can be used to map soil layering and depth to bedrock along planned construction of roads and railway lines. This method generates huge amounts of data which makes analysis and interpretation very time-consuming. NGI has therefor developed a method for machine learning, where AEM data quickly can be analysed to identify soil layering and depth to bedrock in the area investigated.

- There are several ways to commercialize technological advances, explains James Strout. – We could establish a separate spin-off company where NGI participates as a shareholder, it could be licensing of the technology, or it may be to sell the technology to an interested party. Either way, the goal is that society will benefit with improved solutions and advantages of the results from NGI's research and Development.