This autumn, the BEAGLE project will release the BEAGLE Replication Handbook — a free practical guide designed to help organisations, innovation ecosystems and collaboration facilitators apply the BEAGLE methodology in their own contexts. The handbook is currently being finalised by the consortium and will soon be available to a wide audience interested in strengthening links between academia and industry.
The BEAGLE project has spent three years developing and testing a structured approach for knowledge valorisation — helping companies and researchers identify common interests, explore market opportunities and transform ideas into concrete collaboration pathways. Drawing on the experience gained throughout the project, the handbook captures the methodology, tools, lessons learned and practical recommendations that made this process possible.
What is the BEAGLE replication handbook?
The handbook is more than a project report. It is designed as a working toolkit that organisations can use to launch, adapt and manage their own academia – industry collaboration initiatives. Rather than explaining only what BEAGLE achieved, it provides step-by-step guidance on how similar results can be reproduced in different regions, sectors and innovation ecosystems.
The publication presents the complete BEAGLE methodology, from identifying market opportunities and engaging stakeholders to matchmaking, collaboration development and action planning. It combines practical guidance, checklists, templates, governance recommendations and real-life examples drawn from the project’s implementation.
Who is it for?
The handbook has been written for a broad range of innovation actors, including:
- Universities and research organisations seeking more effective ways to connect research with market needs.
- Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) and knowledge transfer professionals.
- SMEs and companies looking for new innovation partnerships.
- Clusters, innovation intermediaries and business support organisations.
- Regional development agencies and policymakers designing innovation programmes.
- Coordinators of European, national or regional projects interested in knowledge valorisation and stakeholder engagement.
No prior knowledge of the BEAGLE project is required. The handbook is intended to be accessible to both experienced innovation managers and organisations taking their first steps toward structured academia–industry collaboration.
What makes the BEAGLE approach different?
Many innovation initiatives focus either on research excellence or on business needs. The BEAGLE methodology combines both perspectives from the very beginning.
The approach starts with identifying real industry challenges and opportunities, then creates structured processes for researchers and companies to collaborate on solutions. It is built around a series of tested principles, including demand-driven innovation, cross-sector collaboration, transparent matching and long-term follow-up support.
The methodology guides participants through three main stages:
- Discover Opportunities – identifying needs, market gaps and innovation niches.
- Co-Create Knowledge Valorisation – bringing together researchers and companies to explore solutions and develop innovation concepts.
- Consolidate Knowledge Valorisation – supporting promising collaborations towards concrete action plans and future investment opportunities.
What can organisations use it for?
The handbook can serve many different purposes.
An innovation agency might use it to design a regional programme connecting local companies with universities. A research organisation could apply the methodology to identify industrial applications for emerging technologies. A cluster organisation could launch thematic calls focused on challenges faced by its members. Project coordinators could adapt the tools and templates to strengthen stakeholder engagement and collaboration activities within their own initiatives.
Importantly, the handbook is not intended to be copied word-for-word. Instead, it encourages users to maintain the core logic of the methodology while adapting operational details to their own circumstances, sectors and innovation ecosystems.
From BEAGLE experience to a reusable resource
During its implementation, BEAGLE brought together partners from seven European countries and tested its methodology across multiple innovation domains. The project developed a structured process involving market niche identification, mixed expert teams, open calls, co-creation workshops, innovation profiling, matchmaking activities and action-plan development. These experiences form the foundation of the handbook.
One of the key messages emerging from the project is that successful innovation collaboration is rarely the result of chance encounters. It requires a clear process, committed stakeholders and practical tools that help bridge the gap between research excellence and market opportunity. The Replication Handbook captures these insights and makes them available for others to use and adapt.
Available this autumn
The final version of the BEAGLE Replication Handbook 2026 will be released free of charge later this autumn.
Whether you are a university, cluster, SME, policymaker or innovation practitioner, the handbook will offer practical guidance to help transform ideas into collaborations and collaborations into impact.
Stay tuned to the BEAGLE website and communication channels for the official launch and download link. The BEAGLE consortium looks forward to sharing this valuable resource with the wider innovation community.
Author: Julia Zabrzeska (UNIMOS alliance)