The Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, operational since the end of 2023, is a private foundation founded by Arexpo S.p.A. and the IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Foundation, IRCCS San Matteo, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, and IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Studio e Cura Tumori, as founding ordinary members.
More recently, the adhesions of IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori in Monza and Human Technopole as ordinary members, and IRCCS Mondino National Neurological Institute as a participating member have been formalized.
As of today, FITT engages with a community of around 3.000 researchers, positioning itself as one of the largest European hubs in terms of volume and research capacity in the biomedical sector.
The significant intellectual property critical mass allows for important economies of scale: skills, processes, and business development tools are optimized, initiating scouting activities not only ‘push’ (i.e., identifying and directly contacting potential global counterparts) but also ‘pull’ (the critical mass of IP attracts the interest of companies with open innovation policies, who directly contact the Foundation).
FITT aims to leverage the results of its members’ research activities through option or licensing agreements with companies in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and medical device sectors, or through the creation of new entrepreneurial initiatives where, in exchange for the transfer of intellectual property by a FITT member, capital is provided by an investor identified and engaged by FITT.