A hand holding a Nyobolt battery

¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise, the research commercialisation arm of the ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ, marked its 15th anniversary with a remarkable series of achievements.

With 304 patent applications filed, 144 licences executed, a record 441 consultancy contracts signed, and a seed fund portfolio valuation at an all-time high of £124 million, ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise is helping the University deliver real impact.

¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise’s contribution to the UK economy through innovation is part of the wider financial impact of the ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ – which, according to a recent London Economics report, contributes almost £30 billion to the UK economy. Over 77% of this total contribution is the result of commercialisation of knowledge transfer activities.

Last year ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise returned over £20 million to the University and its departments – supporting the development of an entrepreneurial culture and re-investing in research and education. The scale of these returns affirms the crucial role of ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise in fuelling innovation on behalf of the University, and demonstrates the overall success of ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise’s activity.

It has been a year for demonstrating the value and potential of University research commercialisation activities. ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise also played a leading role in the publication of the . The guide was developed in partnership with six leading university technology transfer offices and a number of leading venture capital firms and represented the first joint commitment of both the university sector and venture capitalist community. ÌýThe guide sets out a landing zone for University led spin out deals and will be a critical tool in transforming research commercialisation in the UK, speeding up negotiations and attracting greater levels of investment.

In partnership with ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Innovation Capital and the ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ, ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise has also this year led to the creation of Ìý – a new initiative to develop an inclusive, forward-looking and ambitious vision for the future of ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ and its innovation ecosystem. More than one hundred organisations have pledged their support by signing the Innovate ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Charter, which promotes collaboration, enhancement, and the development of ecosystem-wide initiatives to realise the shared vision. Through the University Enterprise Network, ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise has additionally established a new , which aims to make it easier for those who are interested in the ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ innovation space to navigate and engage meaningfully with existing activity.

Other standout moments for ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise this year include:

  • The acquisition of portfolio company Gyroscope Therapeutics – a company ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise has supported since its initial IP disclosure -Ìýby Novartis Pharmaceuticals for an impressive sum of up to $1.5 billion. Ìý
  • £50 million Series B funding round secured by portfolio company Nyobolt, propelling the company's mission in sustainable energy storage, and scaling up manufacturing operations.
  • A new Commercialisation of Research out of Social Science (CRoSS) initiative in partnership with the University’s Social Sciences Impact team, funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council, inspiring novel approaches to social sciences commercialisation.
  • The ongoing success of DigiVis, an innovative software to self-administer eye tests and improve medical support for eye care, the copyright of which was licensed by ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise to ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Medical Innovation Limited.
  • Ongoing work to tackling the innovation gap needed to achieve Net Zero with a newly launched Sustainability Initiative, as part of the University’s leadership on and commitment to Net Zero.
  • A total of £10.6 million invested in 34 spin outs in the last financial year.

There has been much to celebrate this year. Universities have long been bastions of optimism and innovation, continuously seeking solutions to global challenges. ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise is unwavering in its commitment to translating these solutions into real-world impact, benefitting both the economy and the broader society. With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and the convergence of physical and digital worlds, the coming decade is poised to be more disruptive than ever. ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise will therefore seek to increase the impact and influence of University research, acknowledging the urgency for these transformative technologies and supporting the thriving UK innovation ecosystem.

Adapted from a press release from ¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ Enterprise


The text in this work is licensed under a . Images, including our videos, are Copyright ©¹ú¼ÊÃ×À¼¶ÔÕó¿ÆĪ and licensors/contributors as identified.Ìý All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.