The Case of Additive Manufacturing in MedTech Industry - Dr Sam Tavassoli, RMIT University

QUT Faculty of Law Intellectual Property and Innovation Law Research Program
3D Printing: Intellectual Property and Innovation
Thursday, 25 October 2018
1:00pm to 5:00pm
The Edge Auditorium, State Library of Queensland,
Brisbane, Queensland

Adoption and Diffusion of Disruptive Technologies: The Case of Additive Manufacturing in MedTech Industry in Australia
Dr Sam Tavassoli, RMIT University

Abstract
This presentation provides the preliminary findings of a newly granted two-year project, between RMIT and Stryker, investigating the adoption of disruptive technologies by focusing on the case of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in the Medical Technology (MedTech) industry, particularly implant applications. The expected outcome of the project is a comprehensive guideline for the adoption and diffusion implants applications of AM among Australian firms. This is done by developing pathways for manufacturers to enable them to navigate through the existing market, technological, and regulatory uncertainties that characterise the industry. The impact of the project will be to unlock the potential of AM applications in the MedTech, which will benefit potential new entrants to the industry, incumbent firms, health care system, and patients in Australia.

In specific, the presentation outlines followings: (i) stakeholder mapping of the industry in Australia. This included members of industry, researchers, academics, regulatory experts and MedTech consultants. (ii) Identifying the top four major "opportunity areas" in which innovation can foster the adoption of AM implants. Such opportunity areas are: developments in Science & Materials, Technology, Business Models, and Regulation & Quality. (iii) Identifying and discussing the barriers in realising such opportunity areas in practice. Finally, (iv) recommending solutions based on the discussion and understanding of the proposed barriers that are hindering the wide spread adoption and diffusion of 3-D printed medical implants.

Biography
Sam Tavassoli is a Lecturer in Innovation & Entrepreneurship at RMIT University and also a research fellow at Centre for Innovation, Research and Competence in the Learning Economy (CIRCLE), Lund University, Sweden. He holds a PhD in Industrial Economics from Blekinge Institute of Technology and a Postdoc from Lund University, Sweden. Sam was also a visiting scholar at University of North Carolina, U.S, during his PhD program. He is an industrial engineer by basic training and has a master degree in Innovation Management from Linköping University, Sweden. Sam has research interest in economics of innovation & technological change, innovation strategies of firms, entrepreneurial firms, and geography of innovation & entrepreneurship.