The Technology-Market Linking Process from Academic Researchers' Perspective: A Qualitative Case Study of Multifunctional Composites

Sammanfattning

The transition of university-derived technologies from laboratory discovery to commercial application is frequently hindered by a critical gap in the "fuzzy front end" of innovation, commonly referred to as the "Valley of Death" (VoD). Despite the strategic importance of technology-market linking (TML), scholarly understanding of how academic researchers navigate the identification and validation of market applications remains limited. Most existing literature focuses on later stages of commercialisation or overemphasises institutional support systems, leaving a research void regarding the cognitive and operational mechanisms utilized by individual scientists to bridge technical capabilities with market needs. This study employs an exploratory qualitative single-case study strategy, focusing on multifunctional carbon fibre composites – a radical, university-derived technology integrating load bearing structures with energy storage among other functionalities. Grounded in an interpretivist philosophy and abductive reasoning, the research utilizes Constructivist Grounded Theory to explore the lived experiences of academic researchers. Primary data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with senior researchers and PhD students from leading technical universities, accessed via snowball sampling. The findings reveal that academic researchers navigate TML through a non-linear and often opportunistic repertoire of organic strategies. Application identification occurs primarily through informal brainstorming, substitution logic and value-driver matching. Validation is achieved via benchmarking against mature technologies, direct industry dialogue, and the construction of physical demonstrators to provide visual proof of functionality. These results are centred around the developed Technology Market Linking Framework, which categorises the cognitive, institutional, and contextual pressures – such as industrial inertia, knowledge corridors, and incentive misalignment – that shape the commercialisation path. This research contributes to the literature by reframing the VoD for university-derived technologies as a methodological and competence gap rather than a purely financial chasm. It extends academic entrepreneurship theory by identifying the strategic role of PhD students as boundary spanners and introduces the concept of moving benchmarks to explain the increasing hurdles for entering mature markets. Furthermore, it reframes patents as strategic door openers for industry engagement. Practically, the study implies a need for universities to provide dedicated resources for higher-TRL work and to formalise technology-market linking techniques to support the translation of fundamental science into industrial applications.