From concept to practical application to market and beyond
We help turn cutting edge research and academic innovations into successful, impactful and rapid growth commercial propositions that can be taken to wider markets around the world. Through technology transfer we aim to apply the knowledge, innovative ideas and discoveries or inventions from academic research and translate it into products, solutions and businesses that benefit the world both in terms of society and the economy but also in terms of solving civilisation’s most pressing problems. Such challenges include environmental protection and sustainability, global health, clean energy and much more. We have created a unique commercialisation platform that sits alongside our incubator programme to identify, support and invest in the commercial development of R&D from academic and research based institutions. Whilst we have seen that many of the most significant market opportunities are based around cutting edge technology and scientific or medical research thus far, we support all research fields, from physical and life sciences, engineering, medicine and mathematics to computer and design technology, the arts, social sciences and humanities.
We work with and fund you at all stages of the commercialisation process, covering every step of the development timeline. This includes everything from early stage ideas, business plan development, the identification of key aspects within your work that can be taken to market and drive scale and growth, through to proof of concept development, prototype or minimal viable product creation and recruitment of the best teams. This also includes legal advice, intellectual property protection, investment/grant funding, identification of partners, and the best route to market either by licensing IP to industry or forming/spinning out new companies. From concept to practical application to market and later on to exit, we seek to turn your innovative ideas and research into successful, high quality and rapid growth commercial products, services and companies that are sustainable and well managed.
We build relationships with major research institutions, key centres of innovation and startup communities around the world. We have an extensive network of university relationships and use our ‘best-in-class’ access to students, societies, research departments and hubs to channel research led dealflow. We have access to the most talented and ambitious students and academics with the most exciting ideas and research. We leverage these origination routes to work with the most promising concepts that have the potential to create the greatest impact and commercial success. As part of our work with leading universities around the world we also work closely with the most talented and ambitious younger students, typically undergraduates, and the most effective campus organisations and societies. To find our more about how we work with the leading and most enterprising societies, university funds and accelerators across the world CLICK HERE.
Centres of innovation
We aim to be a one stop shop for those connected to research. From university students graduating, to the highly technical scientific research conducted in labs, we aim to be the most approachable, impact driven and helpful partners available.
Universities are, in their very nature, centres of innovation. Campuses are hotbeds of entrepreneurial thinking where the questioning the status quo is encouraged and conventional thinking is challenged and we seek to harness that potential. The UK Parliament estimates 80% of this innovation is utilised by neither the university or the innovator, and nearly all the economic rewards are accumulated by 3rd parties. Despite a strong track record of discovery in labs in Europe, far fewer companies go on to achieve the scale of counterparts in the US, for example. We seek to help researchers and universities significantly impact global markets and receive significant financial benefits.
The skill sets of innovative researchers who create and businesspeople who grow companies are uniquely different – and it usually results in the innovators missing out on value creation. We seek to bring both skill sets together. Wherever you are in the development process, we can assist you.
At the very earliest stages we would help identify aspects of your R&D that can be taken to market and work with you to jointly come up with commercial strategies and business models. In addition to a business plan, our workshop approach allows us to work with you to achieve your desired goals and helps you to understand the next steps and recommendations we make. It is important that we jointly understand the best approach to commercialisation quickly since time to market is one of the key critical success factors we need to consider. We identify the critical success factors for each approach, set targets and develop a risk management plan and an operational implementation plan with you.
When it comes to turning R&D into products or services it is important to test the applications of it by developing proof of concepts first and then prototypes or minimum viable products (or clinical trialling for the pharmaceutical industry). These are crucial steps towards commercialisation and delivering impact. We provide the required funding and resources needed for you transform your ideas into a reality that has practical applications. We also provide access to cutting edge physical and digital prototyping equipment and resources both on campuses and via external suppliers and partners. Access to high quality facilities is often a challenge for those looking to develop high tech innovations. We avoid this problem with access to labs with the onsite resources you need. As well as providing physical workspaces we work with providers and companies to reduce costs and improve efficiency through tools such as DIY automation and cloud-based solutions to help you develop as rapidly and effectively as possible. This pre-commercialisation stage is of utmost importance when testing hypotheses and demonstrating potential. It is crucial in determining whether your innovation is viable, sustainable and confirms if it is indeed suitable for commercialisation. In some cases, further iterations, development or some pivoting might be needed and we will work with you to ensure you have the best chance of creating a commercially successful opportunity.
With regards to intellectual property, we work to protect your value-creation and our dedicated legal team works with you to design the best approach for both leveraging and protecting IP. They have a great deal of experience with the different IP landscapes across a wide range of sectors. We help address any IP ownership questions and issues whilst handling the legal formalities for you. We invest in innovators to commercialise research, the intellectual property of which is usually owned by universities (to varying percentage levels), and give both the innovator and the university a stake in the subsequent commercial success of the products or services that flow from their research. We negotiate, license, and work with the various stakeholders to maximise the chances of success.
Guarding the intellectual property generated from innovation is important, but more important is guarding the potential commercial applications that flow from it. It is a priority for us to protect the companies we work with and their stakeholders. Our legal team also assists with identifying the most important regulatory developmental pathways and helps you to navigate any hurdles in the regulatory process.
You have access to our full suite of support. Our value added business services include complete technological and software development, financial, marketing, legal and HR services, that help entrepreneurs to focus on developing the best products, relationships and traction possible. We assist in building and recruiting the best operational teams specific to the needs of each innovator. We want you to think of us as part of your extended team, working in the background so that you can concentrate on the things that really matter. Our project management specialists help ensure effective teamwork and communication both internally and externally between the founders, institutions and outside partners. They can assist with contracts from the initial negotiation stage through to conclusion. Throughout the development journey we connect you with experienced mentors and industry experts who have been through the same process as you have and can pass on their expertise. In addition, we have a specialist training programme and series of events to help equip you with the skills needed to make a commercial success of your ideas.
When it comes to funding, in addition to our own investments, we help you gain any additional support you need from our external network and from funding bodies such as research councils, which often provide grants that you can avail of. We have full end to end capability, co-invest with our extensive network of partners and provide continuity from startup to scale up and beyond. We seek to be lifetime partners and are in it for the long run with you.
As we mentioned, we work closely with you to determine the best course of action and route to market for your innovations. We consider a wide range of factors to decide the best commercialisation approach for you including the intellectual property, industry partners, your personal preferences, market opportunities etc. Options include licensing your intellectual property to industry partners and/or commercial organisations, forming a new company as a spin out or the creation of a joint venture collaborative research effort with appropriate partners.
When it comes to the formation of a new business, we help you through the whole process from formation of the entity, through the financial and legal sides to branding and marketing, to incubation and finding markets for your products or services. You will have access to all our support offerings and investment as we help build the best teams and grow your company.
Licensing your intellectual property to industry/commercial partners that can quickly utilise the licenced IP to create new products and services that will generate royalty streams for you is another route that may be most suitable. We provide the expertise, advice and full range of support needed to first find potential partners that could benefit from the IP and approach potential licensees and then negotiate and broker the licensing agreements.
We invest in and develop an extensive network of relationships with industrial and commercial organisations that seek certain solutions and are looking to access to most innovative thinking from leading academics. We seek to create partnerships between businesses and academia so that the needs of wider industries and markets are met whilst academics can receive income and create an impact from their research. We believe the pursuit of learning and research at the highest levels should be with the purpose of making meaningful contributions to society through educational excellence. We want to create strong commercial propositions from the most promising research and development and generate a constant dialogue and exchange of ideas between corporations, governments and academics. After all, the foundation for innovation is the supply of a stream of creative and exciting ideas, which are hugely abundant at Universities. We work cross-industry and cross-border to further develop international collaboration. We seek to work with and bring together the best companies, investors and government agencies with world leading universities and research institutions in different regions to cooperate, develop and grow innovations. We partner with other investors, incubators and accelerators around the world to help scale you into different markets and have our own international expansion services and Unlocking the Asian and American markets schemes. We believe that now, more than ever, universities need to be internationally facing and cooperate more with investors and both private and public sector entities.
The global economy benefits from innovation and there is particular demand in Asian regions and countries such as China and India, for example, for the potential commercial applications of cutting edge research. According to the Global Innovation Index and a report by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organisation the UK and several European nations as well as the US are amongst the most innovative countries whilst China and India rank towards the middle of the pack. Often, in fact, IP in the UK and Europe can require larger markets to work commercially and might not be best suited for their own regions. As a result, some of the IP in these regions ends up being underpriced or does not get commercialised in their own regions but can help meet the demands of large Asian economies, for example, and be pushed forward there. We can help you unlock and access such foreign markets and expand your operations and reach through comprehensive support from us and our relationships with public and private sector partners. We aim to be the keys to unlock the doors of different markets and communities around the world, the bridge that connects you to significant investment, crucial partnerships and comprehensive support and the map that shows you the route to scale your ventures and grow. It is a journey and we can help you at every step of the way, benefitting all your stakeholders.
