Knowledge Share

What Knowledge Share does

Knowledge Share is an Italian technology-transfer and IP marketplace that connects the output of the country's university research ecosystem with industry demand. The platform is operated as a joint venture between Netval (the Italian network of public-research Technology Transfer offices, with over 100 member institutions), MIMIT-UIBM (the Italian Patent and Trademark Office within the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy), and Politecnico di Torino, which also hosts the platform from Turin. It was developed and resourced under Italy's PNRR and the Next Generation EU framework, and has been formally recognized by the European Union as a best practice for IP valorization.

The platform's product surface spans a Patents Marketplace (591+ technologies from Italian research institutions), a Plant Varieties Catalog (14+ varieties), Software Listings (9+ products), a Startup Wall (93+ university spinoffs), an Expert Wall of inventor and researcher profiles, and an Open Innovation Wall for collaboration requests. The KS 2.0 release in 2024 introduced an AI-powered matching capability designed to improve the alignment between user searches and available projects, alongside dedicated startup and spin-off sections. The Lab2Biz newsletter (Business and Researcher editions) and recurring presence at events such as R2B, WMF, COP, and Confindustria Varese provide ongoing community engagement.

The business model is freemium and the platform is free and open to registered users including large enterprises, SMEs, investment funds, and accelerators/incubators in Italy and abroad. Direct revenue is not disclosed; operations are sustained through institutional partnerships and public-sector funding under PNRR/Next Generation EU rather than venture capital or paid subscriptions. The GTM motion is sales-led, anchored in institutional relationships with MIMIT-UIBM, Netval, and Politecnico di Torino, supplemented by event-driven awareness.

Name

Knowledge Share

Legal name

Knowledge Share

Website

https://knowledge-share.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Knowledge Share is a free Italian IP and technology-transfer marketplace, operated as a joint venture between Netval, MIMIT-UIBM, and Politecnico di Torino, connecting 60+ research institutions' patents, spinoffs, and expertise with enterprises, SMEs, and investors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IP Marketplace and Technology Transfer Platform

NAICS

Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (51929)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Archives, Libraries & Institutional Access Platforms (MPAJAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Q&A and Knowledge Discovery Platforms (BPAMAAAF), Membership Communities with Learning (Community-Led Education) (MPACALAF)

Keywords

• Technology transfer
• IP marketplace
• Patent licensing
• Research commercialization
• Innovation matching

Headquarters

HQ city

Torino

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Free Platform Access: The platform is free and open to all users including large companies, SMEs, investment funds, accelerators and incubators. Revenue model is not explicitly disclosed - the platform appears to be funded through institutional partnerships (MIMIT, Netval) and EU Next Generation EU / PNRR funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Knowledge Share is a free, open-access online platform that aggregates intellectual property, research outputs, and innovation assets from Italian universities and research institutions, and connects them with businesses, investors, and accelerators. It lists patents, plant varieties, software, startups/spinoffs, experts, and open innovation opportunities, and uses AI-powered matching to pair supply of research with corporate demand for innovation. The platform is jointly operated by Netval, Politecnico di Torino, and MIMIT-UIBM.

Product overview

Knowledge Share is a unified platform connecting the Italian research ecosystem with businesses. The core Knowledge Share Platform serves as an IP marketplace and technology transfer hub, supported by specialized discovery services including Patents Marketplace (591+ technologies), Plant Varieties Catalog (14+ varieties), Software Listings (9+ products), and Startup Wall (93+ startups). Additional services include Expert Wall (researcher database) and Open Innovation Wall (collaboration space). The Lab2Biz Newsletter delivers targeted insights on deeptech opportunities. The platform operates as a joint venture between MIMIT-UIBM, Netval, and Politecnico di Torino.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patents Marketplace An online catalog of patents available for licensing, contributed by Italian universities and research institutions through their tech transfer offices. Lists 591+ patents and lets businesses, investors, and accelerators browse and request licensing opportunities.
• Plant Varieties Catalog An open-access catalog of 14+ plant varieties developed by Italian universities and research institutions, made available to companies in the agri-food sector for licensing and commercial cultivation.
• Software Listings A directory of 9+ software assets developed by Italian universities and research institutions, available for licensing or technology transfer to businesses.
• Startup Wall A curated directory of 93+ startups and spinoffs originating from Italian universities and research institutions, designed for investors, accelerators, and corporations scouting investment and partnership opportunities.
• Expert Wall A directory of academic researchers, inventors, and technology transfer professionals affiliated with Italian universities, made available to businesses seeking expertise for consulting, applied research, or collaboration.
• Open Innovation Wall A section presenting open innovation challenges, calls, and collaboration opportunities published by Italian research institutions and corporations.
• Lab2Biz Newsletter A recurring email newsletter distributing newly listed patents, plant varieties, software, startups, and open innovation opportunities from the Knowledge Share platform to registered business and investor users.
• Knowledge Share 2.0 (KS 2.0) Platform The upgraded version of the Knowledge Share online platform, featuring AI-powered matching to connect Italian university IP and research outputs with business demand, launched in 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ research institutions participate on the platform
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MIMIT-UIBM (Italian Patent and Trademark Office)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Italian Patent and Trademark Office of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy is responsible for industrial property procedures and promotes valorization. They are the driving force behind Knowledge Share, having laid the groundwork for KS 2.0 with support from Next Generation EU Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
• NetvalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNETVAL Association represents the Italian network of Technology Transfer and Third Mission offices of public research, with over 100 members including universities, Public Research Institutions, and IRCCSs. Founded in 2002, Netval acts as institutional interface with the business world and is committed to supporting the Knowledge Share platform.
• Politecnico di TorinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitecnico di Torino is one of Italy's top technical universities with 38,700 students and teaching staff of over 1,000. Founded in 1859, it transformed into a 'platform' University open to industry and playing a key role in innovation. Hosts the Knowledge Share platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• ResearchGate: Academic/researcher discovery network — overlaps with Knowledge Share's Expert Wall and research-collaboration features, though focused on researchers rather than IP commercialization.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Global innovation platform connecting corporations with startups and university tech — comparable in corporate-startup-research matchmaking and accelerator-driven deal flow.
• Licensed Innovation: University tech-transfer licensing marketplace — directly comparable to Knowledge Share's patent and spinoff listing model for academic IP commercialization.

Direct peers

• Yet2.com: Global IP marketplace and technology transfer platform connecting corporations with patented technologies and university research — direct competitor to Knowledge Share's IP-discovery and licensing-brokerage model.
• Inveniam: AI-powered platform for valuing and trading private market data and IP assets — competes with Knowledge Share's AI matching approach to technology transfer and IP commercialization.

Regional players

• INPI (Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle) – France: French national IP office running technology-transfer and patent-listing programs — peer as a government-backed European IP marketplace comparable to MIMIT-UIBM's role behind Knowledge Share.

Others

• EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office): EU-level IP registration and search body — adjacent public-sector peer whose EU-best-practice endorsement of Knowledge Share signals strategic alignment and potential replication template.
• Technology Transfer Offices (e.g., MIT TLO, Stanford OTL): Major US university technology transfer offices that aggregate patents and license to industry — peers as institutional supply-side operators with comparable missions, though structured as internal offices rather than multi-institution platforms.

Broad incumbents

• EPO (European Patent Office) – Espacenet: Public-sector European patent search and disclosure platform — the dominant institutional reference for patent discovery; Knowledge Share competes for IP-discovery attention at the national/regional level.
• Ocean Tomo (JLS IP Assets): Established IP brokerage, valuation, and auction firm — overlaps with Knowledge Share's patent listing/licensing focus but with broader financial-services and IP-monetization infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Knowledge Share