Investing in new materials: a tool for technology managers

IMM helps identify promising materials innovations at an early stage, helps to direct research and development in directions most likely to lead to successful exploitation, shortens the gestation time of materials substitution and guides investment strategy. IMM adapts existing and emerging predictive software tools and business strategies to materials innovations, linking them to give a practical, comprehensive procedure. It consists of three interwoven strands: viability analysis, market assessment and value capture. For SMEs this technology management tool would be most easily applied by an outside consultant over a period of approximately one month.