precomp

IBIS OIS is built on the principles of open innovation and precompetitive research. This approach ensures that knowledge, data, and results generated through the platform benefit the entire biofertilizer ecosystem and accelerate downstream innovation.

What is Open Innovation?

IBIS OIS is based on an Open Innovation in Science (OIS) model, where academic and industry partners collaborate openly on shared challenges.

Key principles

  • All results, data, and publications must be shared openly and as early as possible.
  • No patents or similar intellectual property rights may be filed on project results.
  • All partners, including companies, may use the open results for further development and commercial applications after the project ends.

Why Openness Matters

All IBIS OIS funded projects are required to share their foreground knowledge openly, granting universal use rights. While no patents or similar intellectual property rights can be claimed on the open outputs themselves, anyone is free to use these outputs commercially and even develop IP on specific applications derived from them.

We believe that open sharing establishes a robust knowledge foundation accessible to all, accelerating real-world impact. The knowledge generated by IBIS OIS projects is freely available for anyone to use or incorporate into new, IP-protected projects and innovations.

Key benefits of open research include:

  • Building a stronger, shared knowledge base for the entire industry,
  • Enabling faster scientific progress through collective problem-solving,
  • Shortening the innovation cycle by allowing companies to build upon openly available results.

What Is Precompetitive Research?

Precompetitive research focuses on generic, early‑stage scientific challenges that are at a stage before results become commercially sensitive.

In IBIS OIS, precompetitive research typically involves:

  • Generic problems that are relevant to many companies at the same time.
  • The results of the open projects are not new products/services – but rather a generic knowledge foundation that can easily be used by companies as building blocks for downstream innovation.
  • Data and results can be shared with the public without compromising the companies’ ability to adapt the open results for specific, commercial (and protectable) applications. 

While some sectors use Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 1–3) to define precompetitive work, IBIS OIS applies a more flexible approach. In our case, the projects must continuously identify the niche, where companies and universities feel comfortable doing open research and sharing their results with the public.

Advice for applicants

Before submitting your application, it is important to ensure that your project fits the open and precompetitive framework. Therefore, we encourage you to consider the following:

  • Focus on generic challenges that are relevant to the broader biofertilizer industry.
  • Clarify when and how industrial partners may use the results commercially — this must occur after the IBIS OIS project concludes.
  • Explain how your project benefits from an open setup, such as faster discovery, shared data, or cross‑value‑chain collaboration.
  • Ensure that all planned outputs can be shared openly without the need for IP protection.