Rethinking Innovation To Cross The 'Valley Of Death' In The Tech Sector

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Innovation doesn't fail for lack of good ideas. It fails because good ideas are often stranded - too real for research, too early for procurement. In technology circles, we call this stretch the“valley of death.”

That's why specialist“technology transfer” organizations exist - to bridge that gap. Their role is to take promising solutions and carry them from concept to deployment.

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Globally, the commitment to innovation is undeniable. In 2023, the top 2,000 corporate R&D investors spent €1.26 trillion (Dh5.4 trillion) - 85 percent of all business-funded research. Yet despite this enormous spend, returns are flattening. Analysts now speak of a“diminishing return on R&D” as more organizations struggle to turn prototypes into products.

One reason is that many firms still treat innovation as a procurement issue. They wait for technology to appear on the shelf and hope it fits the problem. But technology isn't furniture. It doesn't arrive pre-assembled and ready to use.

A procurement mind-set may feel safe, but it often delivers average outcomes. That's fine - until the problem you're trying to solve involves emissions, patient safety, or food supply. At that point, average won't cut it.

Technology transfer works when you work with industry partners to flip the equation. Instead of asking what's available, you ask: what's possible? Research is shaped around real problems. And success is measured by traction, not by novelty.

Done well, this approach should follow a four-part model:

1. Anchor-client value. What's the upside of solving this problem - faster inspections, lower emissions, safer operations? If the impact isn't meaningful, question whether the project is necessary.

2. Global relevance. Can the solution scale beyond one client or country? If yes, it becomes not just a fix, but a potential export.

3. Three-legged execution. Teams blend commercial strategy, technical depth and stakeholder engagement. Dealmakers, analysts and engineers work as one.

4. Performance tracking. Both tangible and intangible outcomes – whether its cost savings, increased revenues, sustainability improvements, trust gains, safety and security enhancements - are measured and reported.

This model is being applied in the UAE today.

Take quantum sensing. What began as an exploration of emerging technology evolved into a deeply practical solution for the energy sector. Working closely with ADNOC, researchers at TII developed systems that dramatically improve the predictability of the lifespan of energy storage systems. In the quest for decarbonisation, this presents a paradigm shift in the electrification of assets that are run today on fossil fuels .

Keeping product-market fit in our minds, even through the early stages of R&D has massive benefits. How will the end user use the technology and extract value from it?

Consider drone-based emergency response. What started as a safety-driven request to improve response times in hazardous zones, evolved into a full-scale programme combining autonomy, communication infrastructure, and integration with live operations. These drones can now reach and assess dangerous environments before people ever need to, reducing exposure and speeding up critical decisions. And the technology is already finding broader applications - in industrial inspection, urban logistics and environmental monitoring.

Dedicated air corridors, integrated safety protocols, and regulatory co-creation are all being fast-tracked to ensure the UAE is not just participating in advanced air mobility but setting the global pace, proving that regulation and innovation can travel together.

These are real outcomes grounded in structured roadmaps, commercial logic and shared accountability. Each began not with a product pitch, but with a strategic question: what are the challenges of tomorrow that we need to be solving for today?

The so-called valley of death isn't inevitable. It is one that can be overcome with the right coordination and partnerships.

That's why institutions like ASPIRE matter. With a mandate to help convert strategic problems into co-developed solutions, linking researchers with engineers, regulators with innovators, and pilots with commercial off-take commitments based on assumed success; they shorten the distance between potential and progress.

So, here's a suggestion for industry leaders: before launching your next RFP for a“band aid” solution, ask a sharper question. What are you really trying to solve? What would solving it unlock - for your company, and for the wider market?

The future isn't short on ideas. The real question is whether we have the courage - and the coordination - to carry them through.

The writer is Executive Director at ASPIRE

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