Why scientists struggle to bridge the gap between the lab and the market?

Spain has an internationally competitive scientific community. While the quality of research continues to rise, the ability to convert that knowledge into businesses, exploitable patents, or industrial innovation remains limited. 

Spain does not struggle with scientific output—it struggles with knowledge transfer. The ideas are there. The talent is there. The bridge to the market is what remains weak, slow, and unnecessarily complex.

In the study Performance of Spanish universities in technology transfer: An empirical analysis by Aida Caldera and Olivier Debande (2010 already highlighted structural issues in Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), particularly in areas such as licensing and spin-offs creation.

To this structural weakness we must add limited financial support for spin‑offs and the absence of internal policies and incentive systems that allow researchers to participate in commercial activities without jeopardizing their academic careers. 

The rise of Deep Tech has further exposed this gap. These technologies—rooted in deep scientific knowledge, high technical risk, longer validation cycles, and intensive capital needs—require financing structures, specialized guidance, and robust transfer mechanisms that traditional systems are not designed to offer.

To delve into why scientists' path to the market is slowing down, let's look at  10 critical barriers.

This first barrier is twofold. First, funding for hypothesis validation is scarce because risk is highest at that stage. 

Second, even when the science is validated, it may not evolve into a sustainable startup, as the early phases of scientific ventures—prototyping, testing, certifications—are capital‑intensive. 

This is the first deterrent for generalist investors: high risk, slow return. 

In Spain, the problem is intensified by a historic shortage of specialized deep‑tech funds and an overreliance on national and EU public programs.

Science advances through long cycles, iteration, and uncertainty. Markets demand speed, predictability, and short feedback loops. 

Bridging these two logics requires patient vision and intelligent investments.

Regulation is critical—especially in health, biotechnology, or AI—but it is also extensive, complex, and slow. 

Internally, many teams fail to integrate regulatory requirements early on, forcing them to redo documentation later, adding delays and extra costs. This can push investors away.

La burocracia es una de las barreras más importantes a la hora de transmitir la ciencia al mercado. 

Complex procedures, slow evaluations, and under‑digitized processes slow scientific startups—and can be fatal for early‑stage projects.

Technology transfer mechanisms exist, but they present opportunities for strategic development. 

As noted earlier, many university spin‑offs fail to cross the “Death Valley Curve,” and many researchers lack training on how to protect intellectual and industrial property,. 

This is where Spain’s promising university‑industry cooperation model has room to reach true excellence.

Scientific teams often excel technically but lack experience in market strategy, regulation, or commercialization 

What’s needed is a new generation of hybrid profiles combining science with business, industry, and regulatory acumen.

Countries with better salaries and more attractive research career proposals attract the talent that Spain is unable to retain. 

The brain drain affects laboratories, but also Deep Tech startups, accelerators or biotechnology companies. 

In addition to this, the business fabric does not adequately integrate highly qualified profiles or doctoral talent.

Quantum computing, biotechnology, artificial intelligence... Deep Tech and Deep Science need long cycles and intensive capital. You need investors willing to take on the risk that comes with this type of investment.

In Spain, for the moment, the success of a project is still measured by publications and patents. 

To attract the attention of investors, a focus on social, economic or environmental impact with market-aligned metrics is required.

Investment, whether public or private, also needs social support so as not to lose strength and continuity. Misinformation, alarmist headlines, polarisation, fear of risk or misunderstanding can put the brakes on promising projects. 

In the face of all these elements that feed the gap between science, industry and the market, initiatives are emerging that act as bridge agents between the different actors in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

To overcome the lack of bridges between science, industry and the market, hybrid models are needed that integrate diverse financing, specialized support, regulatory vision, impact metrics and industrial networks, all from early stages. 

Bridge agents such as Bolboreta Innova Group are assuming this essential role in the transmission of knowledge.

The integration of private capital and hybrid capital models streamlines processes, helps reduce dependence on the business cycle, and allows Deep Science projects to be sustained even in early stages of high uncertainty.

Being able to count on strategic support from the beginning of the project, even in the ideation of the project, helps to translate scientific discoveries into clear value propositions aligned with the market.

One of the greatest advantages of having business training and support is that it allows you to build hybrid and competitive teams without sacrificing scientific rigour.

Freeing the researcher from the management of patents, certifications and technical documentation allows the company to move forward and improve the result.

When  structured professional methodologies are applied, resources are ordered, deadlines are met and strategies are applied that allow the maturation of a project to be accelerated.

One of the best ways to attract smart investment  is by applying an assessment based on technology transfer, scalability, sustainability, as well as social and economic impact.

Connecting universities, companies, technology centres and society makes it possible to strengthen the ecosystem, increase its resilience and make it more sustainable. 

Allow us to insist on the certainty that Spain has scientific capacity. What is lacking is a structure that allows that knowledge to be transformed into real impact. 

We have already broken down the barriers throughout this article: insufficient and conservative funding, slow regulation, lack of hybrid profiles, misaligned metrics and a culture that is not very innovation-oriented.

The good news is that there are models designed to solve the gaps that slow down the path of scientists when it comes to translating their hypotheses into startups. 

This is the case of Bolboreta Innova Group, a bridge between the laboratory and the market that is built with the appropriate accompaniment, strategic vision and impact metrics through  Bolboreta Impulsa and its lines: 

• Venture Debt, offering liquidity without diluting ownership.
• Venture Capital, which helps startups with high potential grow.