The latest tool to improve stroke patients’ rehabilitation could be a long black glove strewn with a patchwork of wires and circuits, the brainchild of a research team led by Professor Marian-Silviu Poboroniuc at Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi. Poboroniuc’ steam developed the software and hardware for the new device—“INTGLOVE”—combining functional electrical stimulation procedures with mechatronic gloves, which help to recover strength and movement through motivating therapy games.
INTGLOVE designers knew they were on to something, but they lacked the know-how and resources to ensure their technology could actually reach patients in need. While INTGLOVE was effective in the lab, the device’s technology readiness levels (TRLs)—a method for determining how mature a technology is—suggested the glove was still in its infancy, without a clear path to improvement or large-scale clinical trials and testing. While confident in their idea, the team saw no viable way forward for securing the funding or resources needed for further development and were unaware of the potential to engage industry partners—risking this invention that could change lives would never leaving the laboratory.
That is where the World Bank stepped in through the EU Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO)-funded project Supporting Innovation in Catching-Up Regions in Romania (SICRR). This project provided the INTGLOVE team with coaching from international innovation experts, who worked side-by-side with researchers in the lab to help them consider and aim for the commercialization of their impressive academic work by routinely setting and monitoring specific technology improvement goals. Teams also received training to better define and communicate the value proposition of their products.
These World Bank expert coaches also facilitated the introduction of INTGLOVE to industry partner Mechatronics Innovation Center (MIC). Since then, INTGLOVE and MIC have collaborated on a joint development plan charting a path to market readiness. This partnership provides the INTGLOVE team with steady technical support and the expertise necessary to better navigate the regulatory system for product approval. And the partnership’s benefits have also spilled over to the wider university. MIC delivered lectures and trained staff and students on how to detail medical device design, maintain compliance with relevant regulations and establish proper project planning. After receiving this technical support, World Bank experts estimate that a fully approved, market ready INTGLOVE will be available to patients within 12-18 months.
INTGLOVE was just one of 30 research teams participating in pilot programs launched by the World Bank in collaboration with the Regional Development Agencies in the Northwest and Northeast regions of Romania. The first such pilot, the “Research Valorization Program,” assisted researchers to make technological and market readiness improvements to enable research in these regions’ university labs to reach the market. And the second pilot, the “Structured Contract Research Program”, worked with four pilot labs to develop a standard research service offering that could be marketed to industry partners—increasing the volume of contracted research services offered by public laboratories.
Another critical component of the SICRR project was an innovation policy landscape review, the findings of which were summarized in two reports that are now relied upon by key stakeholders across the country. First, the IP Landscape Analysis helped relevant stakeholders such as Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and universities to map legislation impacting Public Research Organizations and to formulate industry-related policy reforms. Second, the Methodology on Registering, Monitoring and Reporting of Economic Activity – Public Research Infrastructure outlined compliance guidelines for researchers and universities looking to engage in commercial activities.
With these resources, Romanian innovation stakeholders are on the move. But they will need to maintain their commitment to ensure support for technologies like INTGLOVE. The SICRR project demonstrated that several innovation ecosystem fundamentals must still be established in Romania: universities need to understand the value of research valorization and implement clearer policy frameworks that empower researchers; Technology Transfer Offices need more sufficient resourcing; early-stage projects require small amounts of proof-of-concept funding; and researchers will have to adopt a more entrepreneurial mindset.
Healthy innovation ecosystems increase collaboration between universities and industry players, and attract government research funding and top talent to local universities. All of this ensures that valuable time spent in the lab achieves practical applications and places innovation at the center of regional economic development, solving social and private sector challenges—like rebuilding a stroke patient’s life, one glove at a time.
