Concept for the Identification of Applications for Paradigm-Shifting Technologies on the Example of Quantum Computing

In this paper, the challenge of identifying high-value applications of quantum computing is examined. Although quantum computing holds enormous potential, it requires significant investments and development efforts. Therefore, it is crucial to define precise applications that can guide its development for an efficient industrialization process. To accomplish this goal, a methodology that systematically identifies and evaluates potential applications of quantum is developed. The methodology is designed for a strong alignment between tasks and technology, identification of problem and solution types, a systematic process for identifying problems, and a focus on socioeconomic challenges. It is structured according to the TRIZ methodology and comprises five submodels to determine socioeconomic applications for quantum computing

Supporting Deep Tech Startups to Streamline their Financial Marketing to Different Investor Types

Deep technology (DT) startups develop physical products based on cutting-edge technologies to create entirely new markets. Consequently, they have a comparably high demand for specialized infrastructure, expert knowledge and extended development cycles which result in large capital expenditures. However, especially early-stage (pre-seed/seed) DT startups often fail to raise sufficient funding from investors due to their large capital needs, severe technical challenges often not fully understood by investors, and long time to market. Therefore, this paper analyses the underlying issues by developing a model to support early-stage DT startups by assessing their fit with different investor types (e.g., business angels, venture capital, or other investment opportunities) in order to streamline and focus their funding process. This is achieved by applying the principal-agent-framework to model the information asymmetry between different investor types and DT startups. Relevant signals between startups and investors are derived from literature, adapted to the requirements set by the signaling theory, as an approach to counteract the information asymmetry, and included into the model

Case study on technological applications for production planning and control in the context of industry 4.0

In the course of the fourth industrial revolution, a rapid technological change proceeds in the manufacturing industry. Numerous new technologies enable multiple opportunities for industrial applications. In order to keep pace with this development, companies are forced to cope with a high amount of new technologies and arising application trends. For a successful positioning, knowledge of the industrial relevance of possible applications and the technologies associated with their implementation is required in particular. In this context, the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT and the Centre of Excellence in Production Informatics and Control (EPIC CoE) conducted a two-stage case study to identify and evaluate promising industry 4.0 based application fields, such as self-optimizing production scheduling. The case study is proceeded as part of the European Union's Horizon 2020 research project under grant No. 739592. Within the first stage of this project a systematic screening for industrial application fields was conducted. Several potential application fields were identified and their advantages and disadvantages outlined. Furthermore, the application fields were evaluated according to their potential industrial impact and maturity level. In the second stage, technologies for the implementation of the most promising application fields were identified. At this, technologies were investigated and evaluated according to their readiness level for the identified application fields. In this paper, the methodology as well as the results of the first stage of the study are presented

Reference-phase Model for the Transfer Process of Deep Tech Innovations

The term Deep Tech is receiving major attention from start-ups, venture capitalists, and governmental decision makers as this special group of technology does have a strong impact on societies and national innovation systems. In European countries, commercialization and industrialization of Deep Tech-related products lacks behind in international comparison. Nevertheless, academic research about the reasons and circumstances in this field is scarce. To fill this gap in research, a comprehensive Deep Tech transfer reference-phase model is developed based on the current state of knowledge that incorporates the entirety of the technology transfer process from science to industry. Taking Deep Tech characteristics into account, four reference phases are set up and described along three descriptive characteristics (TRL, focus, target state) and four requirement categories (knowledge, resources and infrastructure, financial requirements, actors in focus). The analysis and synthesis show that the requirements within the single phases do highly change due to an adapted focus and target state over the technology transfer process. With the present work, a sound understanding of the technology transfer process for Deep Tech is established which enables future researchers to derive phase-specific key success factors and valid governmental recommendations for the technology transfer of Deep Tech

Description Approach for the Transfer of Competencies and Resources in Collaborations Between Corporates and Deep Tech Startups

Deep tech innovations and emerging competitors are putting increasing pressure on established companies to defend their competitive position in globalized markets. With the aim of efficiently generating deep tech innovations through access to deep technologies and thus ensuring growth, corporates are increasingly entering into collaborations with deep tech startups. For their part, deep tech startups are seeking access to complementary competencies in collaborations with corporates. However, due to their differences in practice both partners often lack an understanding of transferable competencies and resources, e.g., deep technologies, competencies and resources. In the context of this work, a model to characterize and identify the potentials for complementary transfer of competencies from corporates and startups within a collaboration is elaborated. Based on an organization-theoretical delimitation of the collaboration partners, a morphology is developed that characterizes suitable groups and dimensions for the identification of competencies and resources. For this purpose, existing approaches for the exchange of competencies in collaborations are analysed and the deficits in relation to deep tech startups are discussed. Based on this, superordinate groups are derived that consider the specific characteristics of corporates and startups. The morphology enables the description of the competencies and resources within a collaboration between corporates and deep tech startups

Analysis of possibilities to increase oil recovery with the use of nitrogen in the context of deep oil deposits of the Dnipro-Donetsk oil-and-gas Ukrainian province

Purpose is to increase oil recovery of deep oil deposits of the Dnipro-Donetsk oil-and-gas Ukrainian province with the use of nitrogen. Methods. Experiments, intended to residual oil displacement with the use of different driving agents, involved laboratory modeling of the process when a seam was simulated as such being close maximally to a real seam and samples of formation fluids were applied. The experiments, which materialized equilibrium displacement (without mass transfer), used seam models developed from cores of V-19n seam (Perekopivske deposit). 43 core samples were analyzed with 3.3 – 226.0·10-3 µm2 permeability. Findings. Characteristics and applicability of nitrogen and flue gas to increase oil recovery have been analyzed. Theoretic prerequisites of the mechanism, aimed at oil displacement using nitrogen and flue gases, have been formulated. Results of the laboratory experiments of oil displacement by means of nitrogen within a porous environment have helped determine that minimum pressure of mutual oil and nitrogen dissolution is 36.0 – 38.0 MPa. In terms of mutual mixing of agents at 110 – 112°С temperature, 36.4 МPа gas injection pressure, and nitrogen pumping velocity being 1 cm3 per 40 minutes, oil displacement ratio achieved 0.76 – 0.78. Originality. For the first time, parameters of mixable oil displacement using nitrogen for the conditions of deep oil deposits of the Dnipro-Donetsk petroleum province in Ukraine have been determined. Efficiency of mixable nitrogen displacement to compare with water displacement and nitrogen displacement under equilibrium conditions has been proved. Practical implications. The advanced technique of nitrogen use to improve oil recovery in the context of deep oil deposits has been proposed. The technique is applicable to extract residual oil from the depleted deposits.Мета. Підвищення нафтовилучення глибоких нафтових родовищ Дніпровсько-Донецької нафтогазоносної провінції України з використанням азоту. Методика. Експериментальні дослідження витіснення залишкової нафти різними витіснювальними агентами проводили шляхом лабораторного моделювання процесу зі створенням зразків пласта, максимально наближених до реального пласту, і використанням зразків пластових флюїдів. В експериментах, в яких реалізувалося рівноважне витіснення (без масопереносу), використовувалися моделі пласта, які споруджувалися з кернового матеріалу пласта В-19н Перекоповського родовища. Було досліджено 43 зразки керна, проникність сягала в межах 3.3 – 226.0·10-3 мкм2. Результати. Проаналізовано особливості та умови застосування азоту й димових газів для підвищення нафтовіддачі пластів. Сформульовано теоретичні передумови механізму витіснення нафти з пласта азотом і димовими газами. Встановлено за результатами лабораторних досліджень витіснення нафти азотом у пористому середовищі мінімальний тиск взаємного розчинення нафти та азоту, котрий становить 36.0 – 38.0 МПа. В умовах взаємного змішування агентів при температурі 110 – 112°С, тиску нагнітання газу 36.4 МПа і швидкості нагнітання азоту 1 см3 за 40 хвилин коефіцієнт витіснення нафти досягав величини 0.76 – 0.78. Наукова новизна. Вперше встановлені параметри змішуваного витіснення нафти азотом для умов глибоких нафтових родовищ Дніпровсько-Донецької нафтогазоносної провінції України. Доведено високу ефективність змішуваного витіснення азотом в порівнянні з витісненням водою і витісненням азотом при рівноважних умовах. Практична значимість. Запропоновано удосконалену технологію використання азоту для підвищення нафтовилучення глибоких нафтових родовищ, яка може бути використана для виснажених нафтових родовищ.Цель. Увеличение нефтеотдачи глубокозалегающих нефтяных месторождений Днепровско-Донецкой нефтегазоносной провинции Украины с использованием азота. Методика. Экспериментальные исследования вытеснения остаточной нефти разными вытесняющими агентами проводили путем лабораторного моделирования процесса с созданием образцов пласта, максимально приближенных к реальному пласту, и использованием образцов пластовых флюидов. В экспериментах, в которых реализовалось равновесное вытеснение (без масопереноса), использовались модели пласта, которые сооружались из кернового материала пласта В-19н Перекоповского месторождения. Были исследованы 43 образца керна, проницаемость находилась в пределах 3.3 – 226.0·10-3 мкм2. Результаты. Проанализированы особенности и условия применения азота и дымовых газов для повышения нефтеотдачи пластов. Сформулированы теоретические предпосылки механизма вытеснения нефти из пласта азотом и дымовыми газами. Установлено по результатам лабораторных исследований вытеснения нефти азотом в пористой среде минимальное давление взаимного растворения нефти и азота, которое составляет 36.0 – 38.0 МПа. В условиях взаимного смешивания агентов при температуре 110 – 112°С, давлении нагнетания газа 36.4 МПа и скорости нагнетания азота 1 см3 за 40 минут коэффициент вытеснения нефти достигал величины 0.76 – 0.78. Научная новизна. Впервые установлены параметры смешиваемого вытеснения нефти азотом для условий глубокозалегающих нефтяных месторождений Днепровско-Донецкой нефтегазоносной провинции Украины. Доказана высокая эффективность смешиваемого вытеснения азотом по сравнению с вытеснением водой и вытеснением азотом при равновесных условиях. Практическая значимость. Предложена усовершенствованная технология использования азота для повышения нефтеотдачи глубокозалегающих нефтяных месторождений, которая может быть использована для истощенных нефтяных месторождений.The research results have been obtained with no support in the form of grants of projects. The authors express thanks to PJSC “Ukrnafta” for the possibility to carry out the experiments, which findings are represented by the paper, on the basis of Scientific-Research and Design Institute PJSC “Ukrnafta”

Transferring Innovation From Corporate Incubators To Its Parent Company: Derivation Of Requirements For The Interfaces

The transfer of innovations into the parent company is one of the major challenges that separate innovation paths, such as corporate incubators, are facing these days. So far there is no specific design model for the transfer of innovation from corporate incubators. This research paper therefore focusses on the development of requirements for the configuration of the interfaces between these two entities. Based on an intensive literature study as well as interviews within a German automotive supplier, requirements for the transfer process between corporate incubator and its parent company are derived and discussed