How Impact Licensing Unlocks Technology for Good

At a recent Impact Europe webinar, Johan Moyersoen, Jennifer Marzullo and Silvie Daniels, from the Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI) joined experts from EURICE, the UN Technology Bank, and the Gillès Foundation to explore how impact licensing can help bridge the gap between innovation and societal need.

The discussion began with reflections from EURICE on Europe’s innovation paradox: despite world-class research and strong public investment, many promising technologies still struggle to reach the market or create tangible social benefit. Participants agreed that new, impact-oriented frameworks are needed to connect Europe’s scientific strength with global challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN Technology Bank brought this point into focus from a global perspective. Working with 44 Least Developed Countries, the Bank helps strengthen national science, technology, and innovation systems. In collaboration with ILI, it is now deploying passive cold chain systems for fisheries and agriculture in Tanzania, showing how structured, purpose-driven licensing can translate global innovation into local solutions.

As Johan Moyersoen explained, impact licensing provides a voluntary framework to unlock underused intellectual property for social benefit, defining not only who can use a technology, but for what purpose.

Jennifer Marzullo presented the work of the Impact Licensing Studio, a venture-building platform developed in collaboration with ILI. The Studio turns impact licenses into viable businesses by adapting technologies, validating markets, and mobilising catalytic capital to take them to scale. Ventures such as iKeep It Cool (IKIC) and Coosha illustrate how this model can deliver both social and financial value.

Philanthropic partners like the Gillès Foundation are helping make this possible by providing catalytic funding and taking early risks that enable others to invest.

The conversation closed on a shared understanding: impact licensing is more than a legal mechanism — it’s a mindset shift. By aligning innovation, policy, and finance with social purpose, it offers a practical pathway to a more equitable and sustainable innovation ecosystem.

The dialogue on impact licensing will continue at Impact Week in Malmö, where the topic will feature in broader discussions on building a fairer and more inclusive innovation economy.