CORPORATE PLAN
2012 - 2014
Sri Lanka Inventors Commission
46/56, LanlibBuilding, Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 02.
Tel: 0112-424964 Fax: 0112-437354 email: Web:
National Vision
“The people of our country are now awaitingthe victory in the ‘economic war’ in a manner similar to our victory in the war against terrorism”
“Over the next six years,I will dedicate myself to increase our per capita income to well above US $ 4,000, thereby placing our country in the ranks of middle income nations”
Mahinda Chintana- Vision for the Future
Our Vision
Prosperity through Inventions and Innovations
Nawa Nipeum Thanana Deyak, YasaIisurin Pirunu Hetak
Our Mission
Be the leading catalyst in bringing out innovative capability of the nation
Be a forerunner of the facilitation process in converting ideas in to practical applications
Our Values
Inventors will perceive us to be proactive, supportive
Government- as the resource provider will see us as result oriented well managed institution.
Public- will see us as a useful people friendly government institution
Staff- we will be a team committed to the cause of promoting inventiveness in the society
Introduction
Sri Lanka Inventors Commission (SLIC) has been set up by parliament act no. 53 of 1979 to facilitate Sri Lanakns to be creative by providing assistance within appropriate legal, financial and technical framework. The official work of the SLIC was started in the year 1992. At the time the SLICstarted its official work, the general number of patent applications received National Intellectual Property Organization (NIPO) was nearly twenty five.Today,in the year 2011 up to August the total number of patent applications received NIPO is hundred and twenty three. This figure shows that the creativity of Sri Lankans has been gradually increased. But when it is compared to the countries such as Japan, Malaysia, China and India in the region, this figure is not exactly an ample amount.We, as a country which is attempting to step a giant leap towards development it is essential to identify unique strength of people such as creativity and provide smooth infrastructure to make use of their capabilities. As a government institution the SLIC has a great responsibility to develop strategies to bring this type of hidden talents of people forward and make use of them for the benefit of the entire nation.
“Innovative entrepreneurs, with their new products, new processes, new markets, and novel approaches to putting inventions to effective use, are key to an economy's long-term growth”.
WILLIAM J. BAUMOL, PH.D.
Senior Advisor, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; Harold Price Professor of Entrepreneurship and Academic Director, Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, New York University; Senior Economist and Professor Emeritus, Princeton University
“Innovation itself is not enough….. It is wasted money unless it solves consumer problems”
Sanjay Jha
Motorola
Preamble
Superior inventions and innovations supported by stronger branding can demand a premium in the market place. Nations with such products/brands enjoy higher economic benefits.
In order to increase the probability of developing winning products and solutions the total number of experimentation must be increased.
Therefore the efforts of SLIC should stimulate increasing the number of experiments thus increasing the chance of coming up with successful products.
Inventions are done by individuals who have the capability to observe a problem or an opportunity and come up with a technical solution for that. This is a process with many steps as given in the following diagramme
The Process of Innovation to Commercialization
The Key Three Steps of Innovation to Commercialization
The activities of SLIC therefore have to increase the incidence at all these stages.
Environmental Scanning
Organizational Structure/Human Resources
Preparation of Corporate Plan
Executive Summary
Incorporated by Sri Lanka Inventors Incentives Act, No 75 of 1979 Sri Lanka Inventors Commission is expected to encourage the making or creation of inventions by citizens of Sri Lanka and to give technical, financial and legal assistance to inventors among its main objectives. The net outcome of these is to increase the number of inventions that are commercialized thus contributing to the national economy. Having studied the process leading to these outcomes this corporate plan is developed basing the three areas of Observation, Technology intervention and Promotion as its cornerstones. Every strategy will be linked to one or more of these strategic thrust areas*.The functions of the commission according to the Act can be linked to these thrust areas. The commission expects as a result of these integrated activities the number of patent applications to increase by 25% and the number of commercialized patents to increase by 5%over the plan period. There are seven key strategies directly linked to the key outcomes while three are linked to the organizational effectiveness.
Relevant Thrust Area is given along each Strategy by using O.T.P
Strategy / O / T / P / Ref to functions of the actReposition presidential awards aligning them to national development goals / √ / √ / √ / 11f
“Sahasak Nimevum” national exhibition and innovations month to widespread innovative culture / √ / √ / √ / 11h
Revitalize school programmes leveraging the power of electronic media / √ / √ / 11l
Facilitate greater access to funds and to private sector to inventors / √ / √ / 11b,11d,11e
Empower inventors through provision of knowledge and access to expertise / √ / 11a, 11c,11g,11j
Web strategy as a key enabler / √ / √ / √ / 11i
International recognition for our inventors / √ / √ / √ / 11k
Estimated Budgetary Allocations
Year / RecurrentRs Mn. / Capital
Rs Mn / Total
Rs Mn
2011 / 24 / 40 / 64
2012 / 33 / 242 / 275
2013 / 50 / 259 / 309
2014 / 70 / 293 / 363
Expected outcome
Year / No of Patent Applications(Resident) / Issued Patents
(Resident) / Commercialization
2011-up to August / 133 / 43
2012 / 250 / 150 / 10
2013 / 325 / 250 / 15 - 20
2014 / 450 / 400 / 30 - 50
Strategies and Broad Action Plans
The reference number given against key areas are the corresponding numbers given in the act as objects of the commission
Key Performance Indicators
Ref / Description / Measure / Budget Year 1, 2, 3Rs. in Mn
11a
11c / Give tech assistance and help prepare patent applications
Render legal assistance in filing patent applications / Number of patent applications supported / 5 / 6 / 7
11b / Granting financial assistance / Number of grants and amounts / 20+100
(*Inventors Fund) / 25+100 / 30 +
100
11d / Recommend to lending institutions / Number of such recommendations and amounts
11e / Help market inventions / Number and volumes / 12 / 15 / 20
11f / Presidential Awards / Number of winners / 33.5 / 37 / 42
11h / Promote inventiveness and creativity / Number of events organized and the number of products developed
11g / Establishment of inventions laboratory / Availability of a facility / 1 / 2 / 3
11i / Publish and disseminate information about inventions and researches and science / Number of such publications / events / 3 / 4 / 5
11j / Hold regular monthly sessions / Number of such events and number participated / 5 / 6 / 7
11K / Join international competitions / Number participated
Awards won / 8 / 10 / 12
11l / Organize creative societies in schools / Number of such societies
Outcomes from those / 10 / 12 / 14
Staff development activities / Number of training programmes conducted/participated / 1.5 / 2 / 3
Total / 199 / 219 / 243
*A separate budget proposal will be submitted to convert Inventors Fund in to a Venture Capital Fund. The money will be requested only up to the year 2014 from the Treasury to raise the fund.
Strategy 1 (O T P)
Reposition Presidential Awards aligning them to the national development goals and important strategic sectors
11 F Presidential Awards
Introduce a two tier selection process and seek change act to broad base the number of judges
Change the definitions given in the act which are discipline oriented to impact or target consumer benefit focused. Reflecting the emerging trends in technology integration.
Public and Private sector organizations that can demonstrate more than 25% of growth in profitability or turnover as a result of any innovation undertaken or by commercialization of an invention such organizations to be recognized at the presidential awards.
Recognize electronic and print media who have significantly promoted the cause of innovation and inventions.
Announce information about focus areas at the preceding years awards ceremony
Focus Areas for Presidential Awards
Solutions to make Disabled Persons Independent- Persons who are limited to function as expected due to various difficulties resulting from Aging, War, Accidents, Diseases and Congenital situations need to be provided with solutions to be independent to improve their quality of life.
Inventions to enhance teaching of science maths and technology- There may be many teachers who use inventions to help improve learning experience of students. This is important to encourage more cost effective ways to teach these subjects and enhance the application capability of students. ( This may be a category to consider without patents ? )
Inventions that provide solutions to health problems. There is great potential in developing herbal solutions for various health issues
Import substitutions- any invention that has proven or has potential to substitute imports must be recognized. Here the importance should be given to solutions of comparable quality and effectiveness.
Solutions to improve productivity at home- family unit is the primary economic entity. Any solution to reduce expenses, improve productivity, offer ways to enhance income of households or quality of life
Move Up the value Chain- solutions to move any produce up the value chain, more than pure value adding should be recognized
Agriculture- solutions to improve productivity of agriculture and farming thus improving the profitability, productivity of those activities
Strategy 2 (O T P)
“Sahasak Nimevum” national exhibition and inventions month to widespread innovative culture.
11h Promote Inventiveness and Creativity
Sahasak Nimevum – Thousand Creations National Exhibition.
Conduct an annual exhibition of inventions and innovations under the following categories
Patented inventions and innovations
Inventions with utility value
Creative inventions
School level Junior- Senior
University level
Technical Colleges
Organisational level
Independent inventors
Ideas – where simulations of futuristic products and services can be displayed
Declare a month as the “National Inventors Month” and consolidate activities such as the National Exhibition, Presidential Awards, and Forum for Inventors and investors meetings during this month so that the impact from the money spent can be maximized.
The National Exhibition to be named “Sahasak Nimevum” (iyilA ksuejQï) Thousand inventions
Seek institutional sponsorships for various segments of the event thus reducing the burden on SLIC
The best 100 selected by a panel and the visitors to be recognized
Explore the possibility of taking those to regions to conduct regional exhibitions- or conduct regional exhibitions to select best for the national
Strategy 3 ( O T )
Revitalize school level programmes leveraging the power of electronic media, and leverage the reach of school level inventors clubs to identify grass root inventions and innovations.
11h -11L to Promote Inventiveness + School Level Activities
Revitalize the school level programme by establishing “Prathibha” the inventors club using TV medium. This way the limited resources of the commission can be leveraged better. One school club can be shown in this TV programme every week.
Provide a manual for schools to be down loaded from the SLIC web site on how to organize an inventors club.
Encourage schools to have inter - house competitions for inventions.
Propose the UGC to give recognition to the winners of national level awards for inventions when they seek university admissions.
Promote the concepts at the private schools as well.
Leverage the web and social media to feature school level creations.
Recognize Gras root Inventions:- Through the school level clubs, vidatha centres, media correspondents identify rural level inventions, document them and where appropriate help them commercialize otherwise popularize them
Teach Creativity- propose education authorities to introduce creativity as a skill, explore the possibility of making Edward De Borno’s work translated in to Sinhala and Tamil.
Strategy 4 ( P)
Facilitate greater access to funds and to private sector for inventors.
11b Granting Financial Assistance.
11d Recommend Lending Institutions
Set up a robust internal process to select potential candidates to receive such financial grants and have in place a suitable legal agreement framework that protects the interests of the commission
Establish incubators with selected universities that demonstrate a strong track record for developing innovations and provide financial assistance through the incubator system.
Partner with Post Graduate Institutes where MBA students can be linked with inventors who need business management skills in developing project reports etc to go for funding options either from lending institutions or from potential investors.
Explore the possibility of private sector partnership model to make the Sri Lanka Inventors Fund a true venture capital fund
11b Granting financial Assistance – Inventors Fund
Seek LKR 100 Million seed capital to set up the Inventors Fund.
The fund should be able to take an Equity Stake in the eventual business and then sell out at the right time with a capital gain.
Explore the possibility of private sector organisations to sponsor inventors as a part of their CSR initiatives.
Strategy 5 (P)
Empower inventors through provision of knowledge and access to expertise
11a - 11 c- Support in patents.
The commission should while developing internal capability take leadership in broad basing patent writing consultancy capability across the country in partnership with the Sri Lanka Patent Office
Develop a guide book as an e book in E/S/T that can be easily downloadable from the SLIC web site
Conduct programmes to impart knowledge on how to write patents and encourage professionals with technical background to learn this.
During the annual inventor forums educate them on the subject.
11e Help Market Inventions
Educate inventors on how to recognize opportunities with market potentials when embarking on projects with a commercial objective by providing such information in the web site and during annual investor symposium. (sometimes inventions happen and subsequently become marketable products such as Post it Pads. But this is the exception than the norm)
Establish regular communication links with the Chambers of Commerce to introduce inventors
Provide a base through the SLIC web site whereby the organisations with problems can contact inventors who can give solutions thus help them market their core competency.
MBA partnering programme
Provide a model legal agreement and guide lines as to how the inventors can protect their IP when negotiating with potential investors
11 G Inventors laboratory
Instead of setting up a separate laboratory it is proposed that SLIC signs MOUs with the different research labs available within the government agencies to provide such facilities to the inventors recommended by the commission on pre agreed cost reimbursement basis.
Develop a suitable agreement that binds the research lab to protect the IP of the inventor and for the inventor to reimburse such costs once the project commercialized
11-j Monthly Sessions(Since this is not viable annual sessions and web based
blogging and such social media will be used)
Annual National Inventors' Convention
Target Audience – Potential and existing inventors
Topics to be covered:-
The road from an idea to commercially viable proposition
The pitfalls to avoid
How to protect IP
Commercialization options- do it self or sell the idea
How to look after the commercial interest
How to negotiate
Success stories and learnings from entrepreneurs
Strategy 6 (O T P)
Web strategy as a key enabler while leveraging other media as well to promote inventions and innovations
11-i Dissemination – WEB STRATEGY
The web site to include the following in addition to the regular information
Video clips of inventions
A forum for inventors to blog
Buyer Seller mart where companies host their problems seeking solutions from inventors and inventors to showcase their capabilities
Information about thrust areas
Down loadable instructions on IP applications, school clubs
Information and links to international inventors organisations
Links to tech web sites that give latest news in the areas
Reverse auction for transparent tender procedure
11-i Dissemination
Request every TV station to feature local inventors on a regular basis and to consider showing new inventions from around the world
Request the print media organisations to feature prominently the local inventors and their stories and to show case international case studies
Hold an annual national inventors convention
11-i Dissemination – web strategy
The SLIC web site to be developed using open source technology the preferred tech platform by ICT
Develop internal capability to manage the web site
Web site to be bench marked against international web sites
In addition to the standard features to include forums for discussions, ability to upload through You Tube
Social media linkage so that the ideas can be spread fast
Provide links to selected sites such as TED.COM
Have an e mail data base of local inventors
( The commission has already secured a domain address )
Strategy 7 ( O T P)
International recognition for our inventors
11k International Competitions
Research to find out what the available international competitions are and the requirements for participations
Give publicity to such opportunities through the web site, e mails and through mass media where appropriate
Develop a transparent and robust selection process if SLIC to support financially
Introduce a structured experience sharing system by the participants on their return from oversea competitions, by way of publishing their stories through media and web site as well
Link up with international organizations for best practice transfer
2014 International Inventors Event (OTP)
Plan to organize an international inventors event in Sri Lanka.
Strategy 8 ( O P )
Update the act to reflect the needs of the day
Review the legal form of the commission to evaluate whether this needs to be converted to an authority for greater effectiveness