Keynote Lecture | Claudia Doblinger (TU Munich – Straubing Campus) | Climate-tech Startup Collaborations and the Underrated Importance of Governmental Partner

Accelerating innovation in clean energy technologies is a policy priority for governments around the world aiming to mitigate climate change and to provide affordable energy. While most research has focused on the role of governments financing R&D and steering market demand, there is a more limited understanding of the role of direct government interactions with startups. This talk demonstrates the relevance of direct government-startup interactions for increased inventive activity and likelihood of crossing the “valley of death” in the context of climate-tech startups. Empirical findings for two forms of government-startup interactions will be presented: (i) Direct technology and licensing collaborations between climate-tech startups and government partners, which proved to enhance startup patenting and follow-on financing more than comparable collaborations with private firms or universities. (ii) Financial, technological, and managerial support for climate-tech startups through innovation agencies, specifically the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) program that supports high-risk, high-reward startups. Empirical findings suggest that ARPA-E-funded startups filed patents at twice the rate of similar firms. While the agency’s high-risk high-reward funding model has succeeded in advancing energy technology, more is needed to help innovative firms cross the valley of death and bring new climate-tech products to market.

Prof. Dr Claudia Doblinger holds a Professorship in Innovation and Technology Management at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) based at the Straubing Campus.

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