A spin-off is a good way to commercialize digital products developed at research institutions. There are various funding opportunities for start-ups, especially from the university sector. However, there are also hurdles that need to be overcome. A major hurdle is often the lack of personnel for the spin-off. This means that the scientists from the project must be interested in continuing to work on the topic and have a certain entrepreneurial mindset. These options should be discussed in the project team at an early stage so that the first steps can be taken.

The issue of authorship can be particularly relevant in the area of transdisciplinary work. If digital applications are developed together with partners from practice or are based on their considerations, it must be clarified who is allowed to use the models in the future. This is particularly important if the research partners are interested in open-source publication, so that, for example, models or databases can continue to be used by spin-offs or other partners. If the issue is discussed among the partners from the beginning, these problems can usually be solved, or at least the options for using the digital applications after the end of the project are clear.

A major obstacle to continuity after the end of a project can also be the loss of expertise. Especially in universities and colleges, academic staff are hired for the duration of the project and with the goal of qualification. As a result, there is a risk that even promising digital products will not be further developed or marketed. Solutions to this problem may include spin-offs, but longer contract periods may also mitigate the problems. Good documentation and knowledge transfer can also help to fill gaps.

Planning horizons in practice are usually much shorter than those in research projects, especially when considering the time from the initial idea to the start of the project. As a result, the developments in the research projects may be in demand at the beginning, but may not be as relevant at the end of the research project, or other solutions may have been identified in practice. One way to counteract this problem is to communicate these different timelines well and thus standardize expectations on all sides. It may also make sense to divide the project and product development into smaller phases that can be implemented directly in practice.

Legally compliant privacy agreements are essential for the commercial use of digital tools. Setting up these agreements and considering all the purposes at the beginning of the project is not easy. Especially if there is no legal expertise in the project team. One solution may be to seek external help. This is often available directly from universities, colleges or partners in the field.