Sean Milmo, European Editor07.12.17
The European flexible electronics sector is stepping up its efforts, with public sector assistance, to bridge the gap between laboratory and commercial-scale manufacturing in product development.
The existence of the gap, dubbed the “valley of death” by the research community because funds and other support tend to dry up when proof of concept has been achieved, is seen currently as being a major barrier to the commercialization of flexible electronic innovations, particularly advanced ones.
In particular, it is deterring SMEs worried about the dangers of running into financial difficulties with R&D projects.
“(There is a need to) lower the risk of the decision for SMEs to enter the market,” Elena Turco, program manager at Amires, a Czech-based R&D consultancy, told the International Symposium on Flexible Organic Electronics (ISFOE17), Thessalonika, Greece, in early July.
The European Union and European national governments have tended to restrict R&D funding in electronics and other key technology sectors
The existence of the gap, dubbed the “valley of death” by the research community because funds and other support tend to dry up when proof of concept has been achieved, is seen currently as being a major barrier to the commercialization of flexible electronic innovations, particularly advanced ones.
In particular, it is deterring SMEs worried about the dangers of running into financial difficulties with R&D projects.
“(There is a need to) lower the risk of the decision for SMEs to enter the market,” Elena Turco, program manager at Amires, a Czech-based R&D consultancy, told the International Symposium on Flexible Organic Electronics (ISFOE17), Thessalonika, Greece, in early July.
The European Union and European national governments have tended to restrict R&D funding in electronics and other key technology sectors
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