1. What Our Local Universities Can
Do For You
Sean Smith
Manager, Technology Transfer
Bath Ventures
(University of Bath)
2. What Our Local Universities Can Do
For You
Understanding What Universities Do (Well)
Understanding What You Need
Speaking a Common Language
Mutual Understanding
Agreeing Who, What, When, Where and WHY!
The “Products” of Universities
Where to Start?
3. What Universities Do (Well)
Obvious: Less Obvious:
Research Project Management
Development R&D Team Management
Analysis Competitive Analysis
Problem Solving IP Assessments
“Blue Sky” Thinking Network Hubs
Teaching Proposition Development
Professional Development
4. What Do You Need?
What is the outcome you are seeking?
What is the output desired?
When do you need what?
What is your budget now and in the near-
term?
Is some form of ongoing support required?
Is this exclusive, competitive, sensitive?
5. Speaking a Common Language
Impact
Technology Transfer
Consultancy
Spin-Outs, Spin-Ins, etc…
Collaboration
Knowledge Transfer….
Partnerships
Fellows
Accounts
Associates
….???
6. Mutual Understanding
• Understand Your Academic
Key drivers? Other commitments?
• Communicate Your Requirements!
….and check for understanding and agreement!
• Agreeing Who, What, When, Where and WHY!
Project Plans, Heads of Terms, Terms of Reference, etc…
Form of the agreement?
Binding, non-binding?
Formal, informal?
Who owns what (and why)?
What are they going to do with it…?
• Do Not Make it Complicated
and fight the tendency for it to become so!
7. The “Products”
Type Sub-Type Features Costs & Benefit & Time Business
Support to “Impact” Influence
(illustrative)
Studentships Undergraduate Basic In-Kind (£50k) Relatively Low Low / Medium
Scholarships investigation of and Cash (£10K) Cost, access to
Secondments a problem, knowledge
benefitting base, limited
from specialist risks
knowledge,
equipment, etc 2 to 3 Years+
Graduates Advanced Top Ups – New IP, New Low / Medium
Fully knowledge- Approximately Knowledge,
Sponsored based projects £25K to £80K, access to
Partially breaking new Materials, Etc. knowledge
Sponsored ground base,
Eng D 2 to 3 Years+
Post Docs Advanced Top Ups – New IP, New Medium /
knowledge- Approximately Knowledge, Higher
based projects £25K to £80K, access to
breaking new Materials, Etc. knowledge
ground base,
1 to 2 Years+
8. The “Products”
Type Sub-Type Features Costs & Benefit & Time Business
Support to “Impact” Influence
(illustrative)
Research KTP Specialist Specified High
Collaborations Knowledge Deliverables,
with tightly Partially-funded Tight Control
controlled plan project work:
and clear SMEs vs n- 3+ Months > 3
deliverables SMEs Years
Research Advanced In-Kind & cash New IP, New Higher / High
Collaborations knowledge- investments Knowledge,
based projects from access to
breaking new approximately knowledge
ground £10K base,
1 to 3 Years+
Sponsored Business- Depends upon New IP, New Complete
Research / defined and requirements & Knowledge,
Consultancy lead project timing access to
knowledge
base,
Months / Years
9. The “Products”
Type Sub- Features Costs & Benefit & Business
Type Support Time to Influence
(illustrative) “Impact”
Commercialisation Licence Protected IP TBD Specified High
Based Upon Deliverables,
Novel Tight Control
Research
Spin- Investment in TBD High
Outs University
Originated
Companies
10. The “Products”
Type Sub-Type Features Costs & Benefit & Time Business
Support to “Impact” Influence
(illustrative)
Networks Various Typically TBD Expand High
theme-based, networks,
seeking like identify
minded opportunities,
partners, collaborate,
focused on build
further funding relationships
Incubation Spin-Ins Dynamic, tech- TBD Support, High
oriented collaboration,
environments, funding
support, opportunities,
engagement investment
with readiness
Universities,
etc
11. The “Products”
• Do you understand the timing?
• Do you nderstand the objectives?
• Do these issues align?
• How much is matched?
• And what about fEC?!?
• How much influence do you have?
12. Where to Start?
• Unfortunately, it is often down to who you speak
with rather than what you are speaking about!
• Picking up the phone is a good place to start.
• Attending some relevant networking events is a
better place to start.
• Contacting university partnerships & related
organisations may be the best place to start
BEN
SETsquared
KTNs
Etc…
13. Thank You
Sean Smith
Bath Ventures
s.m.smith@bath.ac.uk
+44 7525 476 458