Research to Business Programme (R2B)
Context and objectives
Across the Mediterranean, universities and research institutions generate innovative solutions to major societal and environmental challenges. However, many applied research projects face barriers in moving from the laboratory to the market, including limited access to commercialisation support, investment readiness tools, industry connections and regional innovation networks.
The Research to Business (R2B) Programme is a 24-month regional initiative designed to strengthen research commercialisation across the Mediterranean. It supports applied research teams in transforming scientific knowledge and discoveries into market-ready and commercially viable innovations.
Initiated by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in partnership with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), and aligned with the UfM Research and Innovation agenda and the 2022 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Research and Innovation, the programme contributes to stronger research-to-market pathways and cross-Mediterranean innovation cooperation. The programme is led by Berytech, in partnership with ANIMA Investment Network and the University of Barcelona.
The programme aims to:
- support applied research teams in developing commercialisation and investment readiness pathways;
- help transform research projects into market-ready innovations;
- enable connections between research, industry and investment actors;
- strengthen regional collaboration across Mediterranean innovation ecosystems;
- contribute to innovation-driven growth and knowledge exchange across the region.
Location
Key figures
Duration:
24 months
Countries:
9
Selected teams:
30 applied research projects
Focus areas
Agritech & sustainable food systems
Water, renewable energy and climate change technologies
Applied healthtech
Green and blue economy
Beneficiaries
- Applied research teams affiliated with universities or research institutions, including academic researchers, PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers and other contributors involved in research innovation projects.
- Teams developing projects with a clearly defined application, initial validation or proof of concept, and strong potential for commercialisation and real-world deployment.
- Teams working on sector-relevant solutions addressing clearly defined regional challenges and demonstrating potential for impact, inclusion and scalability across the Mediterranean.
Key actions
The programme provides a structured research-to-market pathway combining commercialisation training, expert mentoring, regional visibility and ecosystem engagement. Selected teams benefit from:
immersive in-person bootcamps in Spain;
remote expert mentoring and tailored guidance;
commercialisation and market validation support;
investor and stakeholder matchmaking;
support to develop commercialisation strategies and investor-ready pitches;
regional visibility across Mediterranean innovation networks;
access to a regional community of experts, mentors, investors, industry partners and innovation ecosystem stakeholders.
Expected results
By the end of the programme, at least 30 research-driven projects are expected to have strengthened their commercialisation readiness, developed structured commercialisation plans and investor-ready pitch decks, and established direct connections with industry and financing stakeholders across the Mediterranean.
The programme is also expected to contribute to:
stronger research-to-market pathways across the region;
enhanced collaboration between universities, technology transfer actors, investors and industry stakeholders;
increased visibility for applied research teams and their innovations;
wider dissemination of tools, insights and policy recommendations to strengthen research commercialisation in the Mediterranean.
