Novel method to track the commercialization of inventions

The study leverages web-based data to detect online traces of products and services associated with patents, offering a scalable alternative to traditional surveys or case studies. As a proof of concept, the method is applied to patents emerging from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

The research shows that about one in five SBIR-funded patents exhibit signs of commercialization, with higher rates observed in later-stage R&D and in Phase II contracts. These results highlight both the effectiveness of the SBIR program in supporting market-oriented innovation and the potential of web-based approaches to overcome longstanding data challenges in policy evaluation. The method opens new avenues for assessing the real-world impact of public investments in science and technology.

This project was made possible thanks to the support of the EuroTech Alliance, which fosters collaboration among leading European technical universities. The research project was performed jointly with Prof. Emilio Raiteri and Dr. Carlo Bottai from TU Eindhoven. The publication reinforces EPFL’s contribution to cutting-edge research at the intersection of innovation studies, data science, and public policy. It also demonstrates how academic advances can help policymakers better understand and measure the outcomes of innovation funding programs.