Level 9

Level 9 is a Belgian nonprofit focusing on helping promising European tech enterprises understand, factor in, and eventually meet key market expectations on their way to and beyond Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL9). Gathering seasoned innovation advisors and technology transfer experts with proven track records in selecting and turning R&D results into marketable products and services, Level 9 assists organizations in both industry and academia in bringing their research results closer to market. Conceived primarily as an incubator for ideas, rather than businesses, it exists to guide both startups and established enterprises in building the right organizational culture, providing strategic direction, adapting the operational processes, managing uncertainty, and delivering value. Thanks to tried and tested facilities and an extensive network of international projects and partners, Level 9 also helps ensure a streamlined technology transfer, from IP protection to marketing to financial return. In addition to adopting best practices and standards, such as innovation management’s ISO 56000:2020, to accelerate time to market even further, Level 9 also assumes an active role in the idea lifecycle. With full web, mobile, and native stack developers available in-house, Level 9 does not only coordinate but also contributes to implementation and, with expertise in cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Semantic Web, Big Data, or Internet of Things, it can bridge any gaps in knowledge, IP, or ranks to help turn inventions into innovations sooner.