Geotechnical Innovation, Translation & Entrepreneurship
Turning geotechnical ideas into global impact
The Geotechnical Innovation, Translation & Entrepreneurship Committee is a Board-Level Committee of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE).
Its purpose is to help create a stronger culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the global geotechnical community, and to build practical pathways through which ideas can move from research, professional practice and project experience towards implementation, adoption and societal benefit.
The Committee seeks to connect researchers, practitioners, young professionals, entrepreneurs, industry, asset owners, investors, governments and Member Societies around a common objective:
helping excellent geotechnical ideas move from knowledge to application and impact.
Our vision
By 2030, ISSMGE should be recognised not only as a global home of geotechnical knowledge, but also as a catalyst for geotechnical innovation.
The Committee aims to help members:
- identify and validate meaningful problems;
- translate technical knowledge into practical solutions;
- engage with users, customers and stakeholders;
- understand intellectual property and commercialisation pathways;
- test and demonstrate new technologies;
- build partnerships with industry and government;
- access appropriate innovation and funding pathways; and
- scale adoption responsibly.
This vision builds on ISSMGE's strengths in technical excellence while creating stronger connections between knowledge generation and knowledge translation.
GeoLaunch
From geotechnical ideas to global adoption
GeoLaunch is the Committee's flagship programme for geotechnical innovation, translation and entrepreneurship.
It is being developed as a global platform through which ISSMGE members can learn, connect, test ideas and engage with people who have direct experience in moving innovation into practice.
GeoLaunch will evolve progressively, beginning with capacity building (training), networking and innovation culture, and developing over time towards stronger pathways for validation, industry engagement, demonstration and external support. Its five streams comprise:
1. Learn: Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Accessible training and conversations on topics such as:
- innovation and entrepreneurial thinking;
- customer and stakeholder discovery;
- market and needs validation;
- intellectual property;
- business and implementation models;
- funding pathways;
- standards, certification and procurement;
- field demonstration and adoption.
The first phase is expected to include a global virtual innovation programme, combining expert presentations, practical examples and interactive Q&A.
2. Connect: Global Innovation Network
Connect innovators with:
- technical experts;
- industry practitioners;
- asset owners;
- entrepreneurs;
- investors and accelerators;
- government and development organisations; and
- ISSMGE Member Societies and Technical Committees.
3. Validate: From Idea to Application
Help teams ask the critical early questions:
Does this solve a real problem? Who needs it? What evidence is required? Who must be involved? What would successful adoption look like?
4. Showcase: Innovation Stories & Challenges
Highlight successful examples of geotechnical translation from around the world, including:
- technologies;
- patents;
- start-ups;
- digital tools;
- field demonstrations;
- new methods;
- industry adoption; and
- innovation emerging from professional practice.
GeoLaunch also intends to develop international opportunities for teams to present and pitch promising ideas to expert panels drawn from engineering, industry, entrepreneurship and finance.
5. Accelerate: Pathways to Impact
As GeoLaunch develops, the Committee will work with industry, accelerators, investors, foundations, development organisations and other partners to create pathways for promising teams to access:
- mentoring;
- technical and commercial validation;
- demonstration opportunities;
- acceleration;
- early-stage support; and
- appropriate external funding pathways.
Innovation for every region
Geotechnical innovation should not be concentrated only in highly resourced institutions or economies.
The Committee will actively seek participation from all ISSMGE regions, recognising that some of the world's most urgent challenges in infrastructure, housing, water, energy, mining, climate resilience and natural hazards occur in locations where resources for innovation are constrained. This principle is explicit in the founding vision.
GeoLaunch will therefore seek to:
- encourage participation across all ISSMGE regions;
- work with Regional Vice-Presidents and Member Societies;
- support knowledge exchange between developed and developing economies;
- identify locally relevant challenges and innovations; and
- progressively reduce barriers to participation in training and innovation programmes.
Where innovation can happen
GeoLaunch is deliberately broad. Innovation may emerge across:
Infrastructure | Transport | Foundations | Underground construction | Mining | Energy | Offshore | Water | Natural hazards | Climate resilience | Geo-energy | Digital engineering | AI | Instrumentation & sensing | Ground improvement | Environmental geotechnics | Waste isolation and disposal
And importantly:
Innovation does not need to begin as a start-up.
It may begin as a new method, a professional insight, software, instrumentation, a patent, a field technique, a research result, or a better way of solving an established problem.
Building a culture of innovation
The first phase of the Committee will emphasise culture, capability and participation.
Priorities include:
- exposing members to innovation and entrepreneurship principles;
- showcasing geotechnical success stories;
- creating opportunities for cross-regional mentoring;
- connecting Technical Committees with translation pathways;
- strengthening connections with industry;
- encouraging younger members while remaining open to innovators at every career stage; and
- building relationships with organisations that can help promising ideas progress.
Relationship with other ISSMGE Committees
GeoLaunch complements rather than replaces the work of ISSMGE Technical Committees and is channeled primarely through the Technical Advisory and Outcome Committee and Industry Partnership and Engagement Committee.
Technical Committees develop, exchange and advance specialist geotechnical knowledge.
The Innovation, Translation & Entrepreneurship Committee works across disciplines to help identify pathways through which promising knowledge and ideas can progress towards testing, implementation, industry adoption and broader societal impact.
Get involved
Have an idea?
Are you developing a geotechnical technology, method, tool or application?
Have a story?
Have you successfully translated an idea, patent, research outcome or professional innovation into practice?
Can you help?
Are you an entrepreneur, industry leader, investor, accelerator, technology-transfer specialist, asset owner or experienced innovator willing to mentor or advise others?
Represent a Member Society?
Would your Society like to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship activities in your region?
GeoLaunch wants to hear from you, click on the image below.
Industry and innovation partners
We welcome engagement with industry, Corporate Associates, accelerators, investors, family offices, development organisations and public agencies interested in helping translate geotechnical innovation into impact.
Potential forms of engagement include:
mentoring | judging | case studies | challenge definition | field validation | acceleration | sponsorship | innovation support | investment pathways
For industry and innovation partners, GeoLaunch offers an opportunity to engage early with a globally distributed pipeline of geotechnical talent, technologies and ideas.
Committee
Chair
Professor Guillermo A. Narsilio
Australia / Argentina
