From scouting to implementation, with explicit decision points.
Four stages, three decision points, one shared committee. Each stage is jointly executed by core facilities, research groups, technology and industry partners.
1 · Scouting
TechWatch Forum. Core facilities, research groups and partners surface technologies worth a closer look.
2 · Prototyping
Hands-on prototyping in facilities and research groups, in collaboration with the technology partner and in close exchange with industry.
3 · Benchmarking
Shared benchmarking across institutions, with explicit metrics agreed up-front.
4 · Implementation
Roll-out into core facilities. Each institution decides on its own facilities; joint usage across Basel is considered where it makes sense.
Decision points
DP1 · What to prototype
TechWatch committee selects, advised by international experts and ad-hoc members involved in feasibility.
DP2 · What to benchmark, and how
Committee agrees on benchmarking scope and standards.
DP3 · What to implement, and where
Academic institutions decide on their core facilities; industry partners decide on theirs.
Governance
A two-tier governance structure with a working committee and a steering committee, plus an international advisory ring.
- TechWatch Committee: operational decisions, scouting, scoping.
- Steering Committee: strategic direction, partner alignment, funding.
- International advisors: engaged ad hoc for technology assessments.
Operations
Two cadences keep the platform running. The TechWatch Committee meets four times a year to execute phases 1 to 3 of the framework. The Steering Committee meets once a year to set strategic direction.
TechWatch Committee: 4 meetings per year
Quarterly working sessions run scouting, prototyping, and benchmarking (phases 1 to 3). Each meeting reviews progress on active technology tracks, closes off completed ones, and picks up new candidates surfaced through the Forum.
Phase 4: implementation with purchasing stakeholders
Implementation is handled in dedicated sessions with the core facilities and institutional stakeholders responsible for procurement. TechWatch output informs their decisions rather than replacing them.
Steering Committee: once a year
Annual review of strategic direction, partner alignment, and funding. The Steering Committee sets the broader agenda within which the TechWatch Committee operates.
Community engagement between meetings
Ahead of each TechWatch Committee meeting, we reach out to the Basel community working on the relevant technology areas. The goal is twofold: identify synergies with ongoing efforts, and find labs that would benefit from an upcoming benchmarking activity but are not yet aware of it. This proactive outreach keeps the platform genuinely researcher-led between formal committee sessions.