Nuts and bolts of launching a spin-out company
Event description
Company creation is a key element in the mix of instruments that allow Universities to deliver impact from their funding inputs and research outputs. Forming new companies can be a key enabler of developing new technologies and priming them for the market place, and a key tool for the knowledge transfer professional. It can facilitate economic benefits including a financial return to inventors and their institutions whilst creating new jobs and services of benefit to the local economy and beyond. New ventures may enjoy symbiotic relationships with their parent institutions investing in further University research and securing rights to develop arising IP. There is an increasing expectation that Universities and research institutes should be skilled at setting up actively managing their relationships with new ventures companies. Creating new ventures is a complex, challenging and immersive experience. This course gives a framework for knowing how to embrace this exciting challenge.
Delegates would be expected to have a good basic understanding of new venture creation and spin-outs. We would recommend delegates to read and engage with the USIT Guide prior to attendance to support learning. Click here to download the USIT Guide
Training outcomes
Understand the context of new venture creation in a KE setting
Develop a business proposal into an investable plan through working with a real case study
Know how social enterprise structures can provide a route for impact
Know how to give a short verbal description of a business proposition
Understand how legal and financial terms govern company activity and financial returns
Understand Director’s responsibilities and the importance of post-formation management
Discuss the needs and roles of different stakeholders and how to manage them
Learner Journey
Route 1
New Venture Creation; An Introduction. A one day course, stand-alone for those new to venture creation and spin-outs.
Route 2
New Venture Creation; An Introduction and New Venture Creation; Advanced. A three day programme delivered consecutively, giving delegates the foundations followed by a deeper dive in the practicalities of new venture planning, and management.
Route 3
New Venture Creation; Advanced. A two day course for those how already know the basics and have a good understanding of the context of new venture creation. The Advanced course will offer delegated practical advice and processes for scoping projects, working with investors and managing common pitfalls.
2024 Dates
Venue - Woodland Grange, Old Milverton Ln, Leamington Spa CV32 6RN
- Registration Evening - Tuesday 15 October 2024
- Day 1 - Wednesday 16 October 2024
- Day 2 - Thursday 17 October 2024
Costs do not include accommodation and travel. PraxisAuril cannot make bookings on behalf of delegates. You will receive further information regarding booking your accommodation in the confirmation email.
Event fee: Non-Members: £1,595 Member: £1,195
RTTP: 12 Points
Please click the 'Book Now' button to register your space.
2025 Dates
October 2025 (cannot be attended remotely)
Venue: TBC
Costs do not include accommodation and travel. PraxisAuril cannot make bookings on behalf of delegates. Once you have made your booking, you will receive your accommodation reference in your confirmation email.
Event fee: Non-Members £TBC Members £TBC
If you are interested in attending this course, please let us know and join our Interest Group by clicking on the button below.
Who should attend?
- Relevant job titles: Relevant to anyone working in KE and/or who support the development and incorporation of a new venture
- Relevant sectors/organisations: Higher education and public sector research, NHS Innovation
- Experience needed: 18+ months experience in Knowledge Transfer or a related field, experience of contracts and/or IP management, suitable for people who have limited direct experience of starting and incorporating new ventures
- Supporting courses: Fundamentals of Technology Transfer, Research Contracts, New Venture Creation
- This course will contain; group work, network evenings, and interactive activities.
Course Directors
Mairi Gibbs RTTP
Mairi is Chief Operating Officer at Oxford University Innovation (OUI). OUI’s portfolio of venture formation, licensing and consulting activities reflects the full breadth and depth of the University’s research and Oxford’s thriving ecosystem for new venture formation and entrepreneurship.
Mairi has particular interests in working with University colleagues to develop the University’s innovation framework to meet current and future needs and in change management and professional development of technology transfer staff. Mairi is a member of Oxford’s Conflicts of Interest Committee and attends Oxford’s Intellectual Property Advisory Group. She has worked at OUI (formerly Isis Innovation) since 2002, in technology transfer and operational roles including support for consultancy services, leading IT transformation, facilities and information compliance.
Her extensive practical experience in technology transfer includes partnership management, formation of spinout companies, licensing, academic outreach, patent portfolio management and prosecution, and management of technology transfer teams. Mairi has a PhD in Chemistry and spent some time in the fine chemicals industry before moving to tech transfer.
Christine Martin
As Head of Life Science investment, Christine has a focus on drug discovery with a broad portfolio of technologies, including University of Cambridge spin-outs Carrick, STORM, Z-factor, PhoreMost, Qkine and PolyProX. Christine was featured in BioBeat’s 50 Movers and Shakers in BioBusiness 2018.
Previously, Christine worked for six years in the Life Sciences Tech Transfer team managing licensing of University IP, including licences to Cambridge spin-outs Carrick, Storm and CEGX and managing the formation of the spin-out Z-factor. Christine also managed the University of Cambridge-GSK open innovation drug discovery initiative based at the SBC, working closely with academics to gain funding to develop translational projects. Prior to that, she enjoyed 11 years working for Biotica, a biotechnology spin-out from the University of Cambridge as Department Director and Project Leader.
Christine has an MA and DPhil from the University of Oxford. She is the author of over 20 peer reviewed journal articles and over 20 patents. She was also the recipient of the Arthur E. Schwarting award for the best article published in the Journal of Natural Products in 2006. Christine joined Cambridge Enterprise in September 2011.