Technology Transfer – University Interaction
Aim
To encourage technology transfer between universities and industry.
Background
The Freeman Centre, Sussex University, continued the research looking at the effectiveness of both government and private sector approaches to capacity building of the UK’s science and technology base in order to meet the increasing needs of the UK economy. A pilot self-evaluation tool has been developed that allows university stakeholders to assess and benchmark their organisation’s progress in becoming more entrepreneurial. The tool offers examples and good practice cases. http://techtransfer.org.uk
A series of technology transfer proof of principle projects have been initiated at Manchester University. Manchester has recently leveraged Regional Development agency and Higher Education Innovation fund money with the initial Gatsby grant to provide a substantial fund. In the short time that this has been active, Manchester have more than matched the initial fund value with third stream activities based on the science and technology at Manchester.
At Nottingham University the Technology Transfer scientist funded by previous Gatsby funding in Chemical Engineering has proved so successful that the position is now self-financing. A slightly different experiment is now in progress: Business-Science Fellowship. The idea is that recent doctoral students are funded for a year’s fellowship during which time they concentrate on bringing the subject of their studies closer to commercialisation. The emphasis in the last year has been a strong schools support programme and this resulted in a report on the state of “Chemistry” in the UK.
The Gatsby Fellowship Award Scheme ran for six years at the University from 1999 to 2005. During that period 21 projects were funded resulting in 12 spin out companies created or strengthened, 5 licensing opportunities and 3 projects that are continuing on the road to commercialisation. Only one of the 21 has been abandoned. Prior to1999 commercial activity at the University was dispersed and had lower priority in attracting resource. Since then enterprise has become a priority for the University and significant investment has been made in the area. Various areas of commercial activity have been brought together under a single Office and the profile of enterprise among the academic community has grown significantly. The Gatsby Fellowship Award raised the profile of enterprise; to prove within the University the value of enterprise activity; to generate valuable reinvestment income for the University and to assist staff working in this area to gain important experience and refine support systems to ensure that enterprise is successful. The University now considers Enterprise to be its ‘third mission’ alongside Teaching and Research and has recently appointed a Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise. www.lboro.ac.uk/business/luel/pages/innov-funding.html
A series of technology transfer proof of principle projects have been initiated at Manchester University. Manchester leveraged Regional Development Agency and Higher Education Innovation Fund money with the initial Gatsby grant to provide a substantial fund. In the short time that this has been active, Manchester have more than matched the initial fund value with third stream activities based on the science and technology at Manchester. 30 projects have been awarded funding under the scheme, since 1 October 2004, and which have emerged from over 400 invention disclosures by the University’s researchers. The first project supported has recently (June 2006) received an investment of £2.5m, having been put on a proper business basis following a seed round investment of £250k a year earlier. Unusually for an early stage spin-out, the University was able to sell some of its shares in this spin-out and is “re-investing” the cash back into another POP account, being created by the University. To date, six of the POP projects have been transformed into spin-out companies, receiving investment capital of over £3m and another £1.5m of offers are in advanced stages of negotiation.