What is Technology Readiness Level (TRL) — and why should you care?
"The idea was brilliant — but no one could use it outside the lab."
Sounds familiar? Welcome to the world of technology transfer. Between “it works in the lab” and “ready for the real world” lie many small but critical steps — the TRL levels.
What is TRL?
TRL stands for Technology Readiness Level — a globally recognized scale that measures how mature a technology is, from early-stage concepts (Level 1) to market-ready systems (Level 9).
Originally developed by NASA, it’s now widely used in funding programs, investment decisions, and innovation strategies.
Why it matters
Knowing your current TRL helps you plan your next development steps more precisely — and apply for the right funding at the right time.
The 9 TRL Levels — a climb to market readiness
TRL 1: Basic principles observed — academic research
TRL 2: Technology concept formulated
TRL 3: Proof of concept demonstrated in lab
TRL 4: Basic components tested in lab setup
TRL 5: Integration and validation in simulated environment
TRL 6: Prototype works under real-world conditions
TRL 7: Demonstration in an operational environment
TRL 8: Full system tested and qualified
TRL 9: Proven in real-life use (e.g. by customers)
How to move up a level?
Some typical steps to go from one TRL to the next:
TRL 2 → TRL 3: Build a proof-of-concept experiment. Show your idea can technically work.
TRL 4 → TRL 5: Test your system under realistic conditions — e.g. with pilot users.
TRL 6 → TRL 7: Demonstrate your prototype in an actual operational scenario.
Tip: Document all tests thoroughly — even negative results help you move forward.
Real-world examples
KTH Innovation helps teams systematically move from research to application — through structured validation projects and lab-to-industry support. (Source: kth.se/innovation)
Common misconceptions
"I published a paper — so I must be at TRL 4."
→ False. TRL is about verified functionality, not just theory.
"My code runs fine — that’s good enough."
→ Only if it’s been tested in a real environment (e.g. by customers) can it be considered a higher TRL.
Where do you stand?
Use our application form to estimate your current TRL — and describe what steps you plan to take to level up.
You'll also find a TRL self-check in the application, with tips for your planning.
This is part of KTH Innovation
Readiness Level™
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
