Mejilloneria platforms off Galician coast 1989
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2025 - It has been Another Year
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The Spin-out Era
In the time of Eras (# taylorswift) we should recognise we are in the Spin-out Era. There is now an answer to last year’s question – Is it all about spin-outs now? – and the answer is Yes. Look at your LinkedIn feed.
We know the reasons: more investors needing to make investments, fewer established companies taking risks, researchers want one, governments want lots, great research outputs.
Does it matter? Yes. The Spin-out Era is also the early-stage investor era. Potentially hugely valuable publicly-funded assets are put in the hands of sometimes inexperienced investors whose business model allows high degrees of failure, whose execution capacity is sometimes ‘limited’.
Is this the only way? Well, it looks that way in the UK, the spin-out is the only way to do technology transfer.
We need to talk about Disclosures
No! We do not. We need to stop using the label ‘Disclosure’ for new TT projects because it is confusing; it is unhelpful jargon. In TTOs we encourage Researchers to make Disclosures to us, and then we tell them they cannot make Disclosures to anyone else. We have Invention Disclosure Forms to encourage new projects (even if there’s no invention), then we use Non-Disclosure Agreements to avoid disclosures. Have you ever thought this may be a little confusing?
We want researchers to tell us about their exciting new projects, new opportunities, new ideas, results; let’s think of a better word than disclosures (now, there’s an opportunity).
I hadn’t thought of that ...
The award for interesting idea of the year goes to Zach and Rachel at The Research Adventure. We had a chat in July and the new idea I came away with is for TTO people to talk to the whole Research Group, not only the researcher(s) who brings the new opportunity to your office.[expect comments from people who say oh yes we already do that ... Ed.]
The award for unusual idea of the year goes to whoever said entrepreneurs should do a PhD to develop great ideas and meet people. ‘Do a PhD because you want to do a start-up’ rather than ‘Do a start-up with your PhD outputs’.
And finally ... let’s hear it for OUI, ‘the old place’ as I call it
Oxford University Innovation is without question the most successful TTO in the UK, and has been for many years; look at the stories, look at the numbers. Oxford University doesn’t know quite how fortunate it is to have such a powerful team amongst it. Next time the Vice-Chancellor gives her beginning of year talk and mentions spin-outs and investors, please mention your own OUI; next time the Chancellor posts on LinkedIn about spin-outs and investors, please mention your own OUI. Recognition is important, the ultimate high-value low-cost incentive; chances missed by Irene and William this year, points deducted.
Season’s Greetings, wishing you an innovative Christmas and opportunity filled New Year, Tom
PS - we are still working on the TT Masters project, more news as it develops.
In the time of Eras (# taylorswift) we should recognise we are in the Spin-out Era. There is now an answer to last year’s question – Is it all about spin-outs now? – and the answer is Yes. Look at your LinkedIn feed.
We know the reasons: more investors needing to make investments, fewer established companies taking risks, researchers want one, governments want lots, great research outputs.
Does it matter? Yes. The Spin-out Era is also the early-stage investor era. Potentially hugely valuable publicly-funded assets are put in the hands of sometimes inexperienced investors whose business model allows high degrees of failure, whose execution capacity is sometimes ‘limited’.
Is this the only way? Well, it looks that way in the UK, the spin-out is the only way to do technology transfer.
We need to talk about Disclosures
No! We do not. We need to stop using the label ‘Disclosure’ for new TT projects because it is confusing; it is unhelpful jargon. In TTOs we encourage Researchers to make Disclosures to us, and then we tell them they cannot make Disclosures to anyone else. We have Invention Disclosure Forms to encourage new projects (even if there’s no invention), then we use Non-Disclosure Agreements to avoid disclosures. Have you ever thought this may be a little confusing?
We want researchers to tell us about their exciting new projects, new opportunities, new ideas, results; let’s think of a better word than disclosures (now, there’s an opportunity).
I hadn’t thought of that ...
The award for interesting idea of the year goes to Zach and Rachel at The Research Adventure. We had a chat in July and the new idea I came away with is for TTO people to talk to the whole Research Group, not only the researcher(s) who brings the new opportunity to your office.[expect comments from people who say oh yes we already do that ... Ed.]
The award for unusual idea of the year goes to whoever said entrepreneurs should do a PhD to develop great ideas and meet people. ‘Do a PhD because you want to do a start-up’ rather than ‘Do a start-up with your PhD outputs’.
And finally ... let’s hear it for OUI, ‘the old place’ as I call it
Oxford University Innovation is without question the most successful TTO in the UK, and has been for many years; look at the stories, look at the numbers. Oxford University doesn’t know quite how fortunate it is to have such a powerful team amongst it. Next time the Vice-Chancellor gives her beginning of year talk and mentions spin-outs and investors, please mention your own OUI; next time the Chancellor posts on LinkedIn about spin-outs and investors, please mention your own OUI. Recognition is important, the ultimate high-value low-cost incentive; chances missed by Irene and William this year, points deducted.
Season’s Greetings, wishing you an innovative Christmas and opportunity filled New Year, Tom
PS - we are still working on the TT Masters project, more news as it develops.