Commission Launches Consultation on New EU Blueprint for IP Licensing and Spin-Off Creation

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) has launched a public consultation to support the development of the EU Blueprint for IP Licensing and Spin-off Creation, a key initiative announced under the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy. 

The Blueprint aims to help universities, public research organisations (PROs), and their knowledge transfer offices (KTOs) translate research results into market impact by providing practical guidance on intellectual property licensing, revenue and royalty sharing, equity participation, researcher incentives, and the creation of academic spin-offs. The final publication is expected by the end of 2026.

Recognising that successful commercialisation depends on a broader innovation ecosystem, the initiative also acknowledges the importance of factors such as proof-of-concept funding, talent mobility, governance, and technology transfer capacity. However, the current consultation focuses specifically on guidance related to researcher incentives, spin-off creation, and the licensing of academic intellectual property to third parties.

Stakeholders are invited to review the discussion paper and provide feedback on the proposed guidance until 16 August 2026. 

Access the survey for the development of an EU Blueprint for IP licensing and spinoff creation.