KT Deal of the Year | ASTP Impact Awards 2026

The KT Deal of the Year Award recognises successful knowledge transfer outcomes achieved through licensing, strategic partnerships or the creation of spin-out companies.

The shortlisted deals demonstrate how collaboration between academia, industry and international organisations can transform research discoveries into commercial opportunities, innovative companies and global partnerships.

Below are the finalists for the KT Deal of the Year Award.

Unlocking a New Immunotherapy Class: The Curie–Biomunex Breakthrough Leading to the Ipsen Global Deal

France
https://youtu.be/5yQn_-AshBU

Unlocking a New Immunotherapy Class: The Curie–Biomunex Breakthrough Leading to the Ipsen Global Deal highlights a long-term collaboration between Institut Curie and biotechnology company Biomunex that led to the development of a new class of cancer immunotherapies targeting MAIT cells. In 2025, this collaboration resulted in a global licensing agreement with Ipsen valued at up to €600 million. The partnership demonstrates how strong academic–industry collaboration and strategic intellectual property management can transform breakthrough research into therapies with global clinical potential.

Nascent BV

Belgium
https://youtu.be/IN9CoewIP8o

Nascent BV is a spin-off from Hasselt University that addresses one of the most common causes of startup failure: co-founder conflict. Based on academic research in entrepreneurship and team dynamics, the platform matches founders based on personality traits and soft skills rather than technical expertise alone. Launched in 2025, the company is already collaborating with accelerators and startup teams to improve founder compatibility and team performance, demonstrating the commercialisation potential of social sciences research.

A Milestone Partnership for European Knowledge Transfer: SZTE TTC and UNIDO

Hungary
https://youtu.be/p5gjMgHFRfs

A Milestone Partnership for European Knowledge Transfer: SZTE TTC and UNIDO highlights a strategic collaboration between the University of Szeged’s Technology Transfer Company and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. The partnership connects Hungarian researchers and startups with global development and innovation programmes addressing challenges such as healthcare, sustainable agriculture and digital transformation. By joining UNIDO’s international innovation network, the initiative demonstrates how technology transfer organisations can bridge academic research with global innovation ecosystems.

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