Reykjavik University (RU) is a significant source and driver of innovation in Iceland, fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of students and society. The university is committed to supporting opportunities for technology transfer through research, teaching and active collaboration with industry and society.
RU’s Innovation Management program is designed to prepare students to shape the future. The program builds on the most recent knowledge and methods in the field to enhance students’ innovative and managerial skills and competencies. It draws on the expertise of local and international faculty and utilizes RU’s strong ties to various organizations and practitioners.
In addition to fostering innovation within the university, RU also supports the establishment of spin-off companies. These spin-off companies create economic value from the knowledge that derives from research and project-based work, such as new high-tech jobs. Several spin-off companies have been started at RU over the past few years by students and faculty, with support from the University.
Some examples of spin-offs from RU:
Videntifier Technologies was founded in September 2007 with the goal of supporting users searching and tracking vast amounts of Multimedia data in an efficient and effective manner. Currently, it is focusing on providing a service for police departments engaged in locating illegal images and videos on seized computers.
FiRe (Finger Rehabilitation) was founded in April 2010. Its research is focused on the development of an arm neuroprosthesis to enable people with spinal cord injury (SCI) at the cervical vertebrae level to increase finger mobility and activity with the use of functional electrical stimulation (FES).
Skema teaches coding to kids through a unique in-house methodology and is focused on adapting education to technological advances. Skema was established in 2011 and has already taught over 2,000 children and 200 teachers.
3Z Pharmaceutical is a preclinical drug company focusing on the discovery of Central Nervous System (CNS) drugs. It provides pharmaceutical companies with expert services in high throughput screening of small molecule libraries for CNS effects.
These spin-offs are just a few examples of how RU is actively promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. By fostering an environment that encourages the creation of new ideas and the development of new technologies, RU is playing a crucial role in driving economic growth and technological advancement in Iceland.Reykjavik University has a strong focus on collaboration with industry and partners, which is seen as a key factor in nurturing a culture of innovation. This collaboration ranges from smaller student projects and internships to large-scale collaborations on research and education lasting several years. RU is always open to new opportunities to drive co-innovation in education and research with ambitious companies.
Examples of industry collaboration include:
– Innovation in research and education
– Collaboration with students
– Access to inventions and new technologies
– Sector and cluster development
– Solutions in continuous and executive education
In addition to local collaborations, RU also collaborates with leading renewable energy companies and universities worldwide. These collaborations provide various services like expertise, teaching, potential research positions, and access to energy sites.
Some of the universities RU collaborates with include the University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Auckland, Aalto University, Biberach University of Applied Sciences, Cornell University, INRS (Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique), and University of Medellin.These collaborations not only enhance the learning experience for students but also contribute to the advancement of research and innovation. They allow RU to create and transfer new knowledge, which in turn creates value for their partners and society in the short and long term. The university’s commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship is evident in its curriculum, its support for spin-off companies, and its active collaboration with industry and universities worldwide.
