Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica, UCN

What Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica, UCN does

Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica (DITT UCN) is the technology transfer and innovation directorate of Universidad Católica del Norte, a private Catholic university operating across its Antofagasta and Coquimbo campuses in northern Chile. The unit functions as the institutional conduit for applied research, intellectual property protection, and commercialization of university-developed technologies, serving faculty researchers, students, external companies, and regional government entities. Its portfolio comprises 21 protected technologies organized across six verticals: mining (arsenic removal processes, flotation sensors, acid consumption kits, gravity concentration), environment (bioreactors for leachate treatment, water monitoring systems, cadmium removal, biocementing compositions, eco-panels from aquaculture waste, NaHS bioprocessing), aquaculture (algal hydrogels, shrimp growth bio-stimulants, waste recycling prototypes), medicine (portable foot muscle strength measurement devices co-developed with Universidad de los Andes), education (business simulation platforms, BI dashboards), and biotechnology (arsenic sulfide nanostructures, job interview simulators). Protection strategies include Chilean national patents, PCT filings, granted patents in Peru, Spain, and the US, as well as trade secret protection.

The business model operates across three revenue streams: licensing royalties from technology transfer to commercial partners, R&D contracts with companies seeking university research capabilities, and fee-for-service technical assistance including testing, feasibility studies, and consulting. DITT also manages internal incentive programs for researchers — up to 1,500,000 CLP distributed across patent filing milestones — and runs entrepreneurship support through the USQAI laboratory. Material external funding flows from Chile's national research agency ANID, including $660,408,000 CLP awarded in January 2025 across two Natural Laboratory Nodes (Landata for Atacama Desert natural capital and Océano Centro Norte for coastal development), plus $46.3 million CLP from the Gobierno Regional de Antofagasta for the Sello de Innovación Social certification program. The go-to-market is sales-led and hybrid, combining proactive researcher scouting with direct industry engagement, complemented by participation in national consortia (Science Up, HEUMA, AQUA PACIFICO) and technology transfer networks (HUB-Transferencia APTA, Fundación PCT UCN).

Name

Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica, UCN

Legal name

Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica, UCN

Website

https://ditt.ucn.cl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DITT UCN is the technology transfer directorate of Universidad Católica del Norte in Chile, managing 21 protected technologies across mining, environment, aquaculture, medicine, education, and biotechnology through licensing, R&D contracts, and IP commercialization for regional industry and government.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Transfer and Research Commercialization Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK), Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE)

Keywords

• Technology transfer services
• Intellectual property management
• R&D contract services
• Technology licensing
• University innovation office

Headquarters

HQ city

Antofagasta

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensing Revenue: Revenue generated from licensing university-developed technologies to companies for commercialization, including royalties and upfront payments.
2. R&D Contracts: Contract research services where companies commission specific R&D projects to solve technical challenges using university capabilities and expertise.
3. Technical Assistance Services: Fee-for-service technical assistance including scientific information services, data collection, testing, feasibility studies, and consulting activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DITT is the innovation and technology transfer directorate of Universidad Católica del Norte that fosters, manages, and promotes applied research, intellectual property protection, technology commercialization, and external R&D services. It scouts university research for protectable innovations, files patents, negotiates licensing deals, runs R&D contracts and technical assistance for companies, and supports entrepreneurship through the USQAI incubator across mining, environment, biotechnology, aquaculture, medicine, and education sectors.

Product overview

DITT UCN operates as a technology transfer office managing a diverse portfolio of 21 technologies developed at the Universidad Católica del Norte, organized into six thematic areas: Mining (mineral processing, arsenic removal, acid consumption kits, bubble sensors), Environment (bioreactors, water monitoring, disinfection systems, cadmium removal, biocements, eco-panels), Aquaculture (algal hydrogels, waste recycling, shrimp growth solutions), Medicine (foot strength measurement devices), Education (business simulation platforms, BI tools), and a job interview simulator. The portfolio also includes technology scouting, intellectual property protection, technology valuation, business model evaluation, and technology transfer management services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• USQAI: Universidad Santo Domingo Capistrano Quisbert AI - Student entrepreneurship support laboratory that helps students integrate into the entrepreneurial world.
• InES I+D
• InES de Género

Products and services

• Kit Custer (UCN0023)

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% water savings in agricultural irrigation using algal hydrogel
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Universidad de los Andes (UANDES)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2026Strategic partner in Conecta I+D program with four versions completed, fostering interdisciplinary research collaboration between UCN and UANDES researchers on applied projects.
• Gobierno Regional de AntofagastacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2025Regional government funding Sello de Innovación Social project through FIC-R (Fondo de Innovación para la Competitividad Regional). Project led by UCN with $46.3 million CLP in recognition payments to innovators.
• Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios (UNIMINUTO) - ColombiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2025Colombian university social innovation park partnership for international knowledge exchange through colloquium 'Hacia una innovación social certificada', expanding DITT's international innovation network.
• Universidad de AtacamamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2025Partner university in Landata Natural Laboratory Node for Atacama Desert research and territorial development.
• Universidad de ChilemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2025Partner university in Landata Natural Laboratory Node contributing to Atacama Desert natural capital research.
• USQAI (Laboratorio de Emprendimiento y Cowork)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Student entrepreneurship laboratory and coworking space supporting technology-based ventures from UCN students. DITT directs university entrepreneurship through this partnership, providing tools for project development and startup creation.
• Fundación Parque Científico Tecnológico UCNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025University science park foundation connecting public-private entities and fostering technology-based company creation. DITT collaborates on linking academic innovations with market opportunities through PCT infrastructure.
• HUB-Transferencia Tecnológica APTAcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Technology transfer hub providing integration services and technology commercialization ecosystem connections. APTA facilitates DITT's access to national technology transfer network.
• HEUMA Consorcio Ingeniería 2030coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Engineering 2030 consortium supporting technology transfer and innovation in engineering. DITT participates in consortium activities for enhanced research-industry linkages.
• AQUA PACIFICOmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Aquaculture research consortium focused on adding value to marine resources. DITT collaborates on aquaculture technology development and transfer.
• Centro Integrado de Pilotaje de Tecnologías Mineras (CIPTEMIN)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Integrated pilot testing center for mining technologies. CIPTEMIN provides DITT technologies with testing and validation infrastructure for commercial readiness.
• Centro Interdisciplinario para la Productividad y Construcción Sustentable (CIPYCS)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Interdisciplinary center for productivity and sustainable construction. DITT supports through technology transfer of construction-related innovations including biocementing compositions.
• Science Up Consortium (Ciencia 2030)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025National science consortium under ANID promoting interdisciplinary research collaboration. DITT participates through InES I+D project, enabling researcher networking and collaborative project development across institutions.
• Universidad de SevillaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-ownership partner in Ecopanel technology (UCN0042) with shared patent rights and international filing cooperation.
• Universidad de los Andes (joint technology development)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint development partner for foot muscle measurement device (UCN0068) with shared intellectual property ownership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• INRIA (France): French public research institute with a dedicated technology transfer and startup creation arm (INRIA Startup Studio). Comparable as a public-mission research entity with structured IP/licensing outputs.
• Fraunhofer Society: Large applied research organization that licenses patented technologies from member institutes to industry, with a similar contract research + IP licensing revenue model. Scaled-up analog of DITT's combined R&D + TTO role.
• CSIRO: Australia's national science agency, operating a dedicated commercial arm (CSIRO spinouts and licensing) plus commissioned R&D. Analogous institutional role: state-/public-funded research with a technology transfer mandate.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Public applied research institute that combines contract R&D, IP generation, licensing, and spinout creation. Mirrors DITT's multi-revenue model (grants + licensing + R&D services), at far greater scale.

Direct peers

• Universidad de Chile - Dirección de Innovación: Public research university innovation directorate managing invention disclosures, patent prosecution, and licensing from a large national research base. Comparable in mandate and structure to DITT UCN.
• Dirección de Innovación, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: Technology transfer and innovation office of Chile's leading private university, operating the same TTO + IP + licensing model across a much larger research portfolio. Direct functional peer for DITT.
• Universidad de Concepción - OTT: Regional Chilean university TTO with a similarly sector-specialized technology portfolio (biotech, agriculture, marine resources) and active licensing to industry. Comparable scope and regional anchor role.

Regional players

• Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE): Mexican public research center with an active technology transfer office in marine sciences, biotechnology, and environmental tech — overlapping with DITT's aquaculture and environment portfolios.
• CICITEM: Regional R&D center in Antofagasta co-owning patents with DITT (e.g., Planta de Concentración Gravitacional). Operates in the same mining-tech niche and shares DITT's industry customer base.
• Fundación Copec UC: Chilean innovation foundation funding applied research and university spinouts with a similar scouting-to-commercialization pipeline. Tied to a competing university (PUC) but operates in the same Chilean innovation ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ditt-ucn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Dirección de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica, UCN