Standards Development, Research & Innovation
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- Standards Development, Research & Innovation
What are the benefits?
At a national policy level, Innovation 2020, Enterprise 2025 and IMPACT 2030 emphasise the importance of standards to the RDI community in supporting an innovative Irish ecosystem. Standards facilitate the introduction of innovative products by providing interoperability between the new and existing products, services and processes. Furthermore, standards bridge the skills gap and aid in knowledge transfer. This is recognised at a European level through the emphasis placed on standardisation as a vital part of EU RD&I funding mechanisms.
Standards help build consumers trust and confidence in new technologies, thereby enabling the accelerated mass-market diffusion and adoption of related products and services. In effect, standards help bridge the innovation gap between research and global markets by enabling efficient and effective knowledge and technology transfer, resulting in maximum socio-economic and environmental benefits and impact. The earlier a company or RDI centre engages in the standards development process – integrated within their overall innovation process, the sooner they can bring their standards-informed innovation to competitive global markets, resulting in greater rewards.
During the standards development process, new technical insights are gained as well as time-to-market advantage. Irish companies can add their own unique product or service innovations on top of the foundational standards. Hence, standardization leaders and fast-followers are fully prepared to successfully launch their standards-aligned products and services across international markets to meet the needs of consumers and society.
The New European Standardisation Strategy recognises the need for enhanced engagement in standards development by the RDI community, and to test the relevance of their results for standardisation. Through EU initiatives such as the recently launched "Standardisation Booster’, there are significant opportunities for the Irish RDI community and associated Startups and SMEs, to aid in the co-creation process of standardization, supporting open innovation and cross-industry research development and industry activities.
The Commission has recognised the importance of standards through the publication of a Recommendation on a Code of practice on Standardisation, this code of practice proposes a set of recommendations on how to best identify opportunities and techniques to increase the uptake of R&I results through standardisation. Furthermore it supports and lays the foundations of the guiding principles for knowledge valorisation.
For further information on the standardisation process please watch the HS Booster Presentation below, for training material developed for the HS booster EU project, which facilitates and streamlines the dialogue between Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe Research & Innovation projects with the Standardisation landscape and its main actors, namely corresponding Standards Developing Organisations (SDOs) to increase the European impact on (international) Standardisation and strengthen the European competitiveness.
Contact NSAI Standards Business Development, Research & Innovation
By engaging in standards development activities with leading international experts and knowledge-networks, you stay ahead of the curve in your technical area and help set-the-standards for new and emerging technologies, products and services
Standards represent the state-of-the-art for a given technology or product area and hence provide a platform on which to build successful research and innovation projects, products and services.
Standards help deliver real impact from your R&D projects by bridging the gap between R&D and global mass-market adoption of your innovative new technologies, products and services – by building customer trust and confidence in your standards-based solutions. Reputation & Data Quality Ensuring that your R&D results are based on recognised test and measurement standards assures the quality and validity of your research data and associated research publications, products and services – thereby protecting your reputation and that of the Irish R&D and Innovation system.
Standards are very widely distributed and used internationally across all industries and sectors, thereby providing a strong, sustainable and impactful knowledge transfer and dissemination channel for your R&D project results.
European and international standards provide access to large global markets for your innovative new products and services. Standards enable the free movement of goods & services by removing technical barriers to trade.
Standards provide a basis for the integration of diverse technologies into complex, innovative systems and solutions, and assist in ensuring interoperability between smart products and services – a critical role in a world undergoing digital transformation across all industries and sectors.
Gain competitive advantage by integrating standards development within your R&D and systematic innovation management system. Become a leader and driver in the standards development process by getting your ideas and technology into new or updated standards.
Standards codify state of the art in terms of innovative technologies, products and services, and hence are often used as references in National and International public procurement schemes.
Many different types of standards can be used across all ‘Technology Readiness Levels’ – from Guidelines and Terminology standards to Interface, Design, Test, Performance, Safety, Product, and Management System standards as a technology or product moves closer to market. A variety of different standardisation processes and pathways provides a range of flexible options and timeframes – chose the most appropriate to your R&D and innovation needs.
Taking existing standards into account at the beginning of your R&D project guarantees that your subsequent innovative results, product or service will respect existing standards (and any new or modified standards developed within your project) and therefore will have faster and broader international market uptake by customers and end users.
Standards can support compliance to legislation, and can enable companies to declare product performance against accepted standards – enabling the use of regulatory compliance labels and market access e.g. CE Marking in Europe.
As an active expert member of the international standards development community, you increase your standing and credibility with key industrial stakeholders, customers and policy makers / funders.
Generate revenue from your intellectual property by incorporating your patent(s) into new international standards. For example, royalties from the licensing of Standard-Essential Patents (SEPs) generates income of approximately €18 billion per year via 2G, 3G and 4G mobile telecoms standards . With the digital transformation of all sectors over the coming years, the importance of SEPs is likely to increase.
Addressing standardisation in your Horizon 2020 project proposal per EU policy will help improve project impact assessment and increase your chances of funding success.
NSAI is the National Standards Body of Ireland and is your gateway to standards development at both national and international levels. If you are interested in finding out more about standards and their development, or whether there are standards that may relate to your current or future R&D and innovation work, please visit the NSAI website or call our team. We are here to help you engage in the exciting world of international standards development for new and emerging technologies.