Toward Effective Translation of Research Outcomes into Marketable Innovations

Prof. Mohammed Ahmad Al-Shamsi

Professor | Books author | Innovator | International Negotiator | RDI Policy Advisor

August 21, 2025

One of the most pressing challenges before us is the effective translation of research outcomes into marketable innovations. International evidence demonstrates that the critical factor in this process is not solely the research capacity of universities, but rather the absorptive capacity of firms—their ability to identify, acquire, and apply external knowledge.

 This concept, well-established in the innovation literature, represents the essential bridge between the outputs of R&D laboratories and the commercialization of inventions. Strengthening universities and research institutions is necessary, but insufficient on its own. Without a private sector that is both capable and willing to absorb these outputs, inventions risk remaining confined within academic publications and laboratories.

 Therefore, the private sector must enhance its capabilities to “pull” technologies from the research base. This requires cultivating a greater appetite for calculated risk, acknowledging that innovation inherently involves uncertainty. Globally, the conversion rate of inventions into successful commercial products is low, and progress depends on a mindset that accepts multiple failures as the pathway to a breakthrough success.

 When a breakthrough does occur, however, the rewards are disproportionately high, precisely because intellectual property protections ensure exclusivity and shield against imitation. This asymmetry is at the heart of innovation-driven growth.

 If we are to realize the full economic and societal returns on our national investments in R&D, we must therefore commit to policies and instruments that:

 1. Strengthen the absorptive capacity of Saudi firms, particularly in priority sectors.

 2. Encourage risk-taking and experimentation in technology adoption and commercialization.

 3. Foster stronger linkages between academia and industry, with the private sector positioned not as a passive recipient, but as an active driver of innovation.

 Only by achieving this balance—universities pushing knowledge outward and firms pulling it inward—can we unlock the true potential of our national innovation system.