Investing in new materials: a tool for technology managers

Elicia Maine, David Probert, Mike Ashby
2005 Technovation  
A technology management tool has been developed to determine the attractiveness of a materials innovation by systematically assessing the technical and economic viability, along with the likelihood to capture profits created. The Investment Methodology for Materials (IMM) may prevent companies from pursuing investment strategies destined for failure. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), often started by the inventor of a new material, have had particular difficulty in commercialising new
more » ... aterials-either due to the upfront and risky expense involved in displacing an incumbent material in a mature industry or due to the need for complementary innovations to enable a radical innovation. IMM helps identify promising materials innovations at an early stage, helps to direct research and development in directions most likely to lead to successful exploitation, shortens the gestation time of materials substitution and guides investment strategy. IMM adapts existing and emerging predictive software tools and business strategies to materials innovations, linking them to give a practical, comprehensive procedure. It consists of three interwoven strands: viability analysis, market assessment and value capture. For SMEs this technology management tool would be most easily applied by an outside consultant over a period of approximately one month. q
doi:10.1016/s0166-4972(03)00070-1 fatcat:k2h2i5zsrzhwbmenehkxuxmicu