1. Innovation to Impact Commercialisation of research in practice
Trevor Power
Business Development Manager
IAS Symposium
19th May 2016

2. Agenda Warwick Ventures Relevance to Early Career Researchers
Some terminology
Technology Transfer
Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation (KEC)
Translation

3. Warwick Ventures Ltd
We manage the intellectual property (IP) the University derives from its research
A service for academics - and other University innovators
A source of opportunities for industry
Our Goals:
Impact
Reputation
Financial Return

4. WVL’s role
We help translate the University’s research outputs into products and services that benefit the economy and society (“Impact”)
Innovation discovery and planning
Intellectual property management
Translational funding
Market & concept development
Licensing
Spinouts
Software Incubator
Student enterprise

5. Commercial opportunities
Tech opportunity
Score
Market opportunity
WV opportunity
Uniqueness
Value
Reputation /20
Readiness
Edge
WU value
Tech Development
Margin
WU success
Academic
Conservatism
WU time
Relevance
Route-Market
WV exit
/25
WV cost
WV added value
Licence (+) or Spinout (-)
/50
Originally developed by our former CEO, this process has been developed and refined to fit our purpose
(taking more account of University reputation and not discriminating against licensing opportunities, as opposed to spinouts).
It is not used as a stop/go measure, but as a tool to prioritise projects, also to spot weak points and to guide how they may be improved to increase their commercial appeal.
All technology commercialisation offices need to fulfil this function somehow. Not all use a formal process such as this, for example, Isis works by gut feeling and peer review.

6. Intellectual property
Patents
Trademarks
Plant breeder rights
Design rights
Copyright
Database rights
Performers rights
Know how

7. Intellectual property
Patents
Trademarks
Plant breeder rights
Design rights
Copyright
Database rights
Performers rights
Know how

8. ‘Hard’ (registerable) IP
Inventions – file application at IP office
Once granted & renewed provides 20 years of protection
Need for novelty & inventive step
Some exclusions e.g. surgical processes
Names
Logos
Slogans
File application with IP office.
Unlimited duration if renewed every 10 years.
Hard IP can be registered at the local IPO (or for Plant Breeder Rights with FERA – The Food and Environment Research Agency)
Patents – How something works
Design Rights – How something looks
Trademarks – Designation of origin and reputation
Plant Breeder – New plant varieties
What’s not patentable
Discoveries
Scientific theories
Mathematical methods
Surgical techniques
Thought processes
Technologies contrary to national security
Design rights & other forms of IP too: If you are commissioned or an employee then any designs that you produce are likely to be owned by the commissioner or the employer. (Usually covered in employment contracts or Co. regulations)

9. More ‘Hard’ IP New plant varieties File application with FERA.
Protection for 25/30 years from date right is granted.
Covers the outward appearance of an article
Design must be “new & materially different”
Can also be registered
Rights lasts 5 years but extendable to 25. (unregistered last 15 years)

10. ‘Soft’ IP Arises automatically, but can be registered
Private right belonging to creator
Covers software, artistic & literary work
Duration depends on medium (usually 50 – 70 years)
About the right for commercial exploitation of “a work”
For original selections and arrangements of contents
Provides protection for 15 years from making or publication.
Don’t have to register these – coming in to being automatically
Copyrights – Expression of ideas, literary works, creative activity, software code. (Can be registered but unusual)
Database rights – Collections of data – copyright laws govern to a large extent
Performers rights
Know How/Trade Secrets – Not an IPR as such, more ‘keeping a secret’ confidential, exploitable, marketable and licensable (coca cola)

11. More ‘Soft’ IP Rights in a performance
Any recording, film, broadcast, presentation, performance
For copies to be made performers permission needed
In addition to copyright of any material being performed
For original selections and arrangements of contents
Provides protection for 15 years from making or publication.
Don’t have to register these – coming in to being automatically
Copyrights – Expression of ideas, literary works, creative activity, software code. (Can be registered but unusual)
Database rights – Collections of data – copyright laws govern to a large extent
Performers rights
Know How/Trade Secrets – Not an IPR as such, more ‘keeping a secret’ confidential, exploitable, marketable and licensable (coca cola)

12. Developing and exploiting IP
RESEACH
Grant Funding
Industry Funding
Philanthropic Donations
DEVELOPMENT
Proof-of-Concept Funding
University Impact Fund
Approx. £400k p.a.
Maximum awarded ~ £30k
WVL PoC
Approx. £200 p.a.
Awards ~£10k
COMMERCIALISATION
Commercial Investment
Business Angels
VCs & CVCs
Companies & Businesses
Set-up a company to develop, maybe to manufacture, and maybe sell
Negotiate with a third party who develops and sells
SPINOUT OPTION
LICENSING OPTION
Warwick Ventures offers a service for University innovators
Pays for patents/IP protection and provides advice.
Provides proof-of-concept funding
Negotiates commercial deals
Collects and distributes proceeds of exploitation
Two main options.
Depends very much on the invention or creation and also the people involved in terms of which path you take.
Some of the benefit of licensing though:

13. Commercialisation Service
Market opportunities to industry; OR
Build Spin-out Companies
Business Plan
Management team
Pitch
Find partners, raise finance & grants, negotiate contracts, manage the process
Exit and/or Distribute the proceeds

14. Student Enterprise Support
Liaise with Warwick Entrepreneurs Society
Part of Warwick Enterprise Partnership
We have directly supported Student ventures
We have a Software Incubator for Students and others.

15. WVL’s activities 100 Ideas a year (Over 1000 total)
18 licences a year (£2m)
35 Patents a year filed (300 total)
3 spin-outs a year (65 total, raised £50m)
Also (occasionally) support undergrads new business
Raised £4.2m for one in last 5 years

16. The Importance of ECRs We can only support you (and PIs)
With Impact agenda
1842 Academics/Researchers
8 FTE WVL – who do we work with?
Need more scalable and efficient offering
Give capability, work with, experiential
Impact planning, early market validation
Minimum viable product
Not commercialisation! But translation…

17. The Importance of ECRs Government sees: So what to do?
Too few traditional jobs for Post-Docs
Innovations from Universities not being exploited
Economy changing – knowledge intensive
Need to stimulate the growth of the economy
So what to do?
Find ways to develop entrepreneurial Post-Docs
Stimulate spin-outs, start-ups
Task Research Councils and Dept of Business Innovation and Skills

18. ICURe – Pilot scheme

19. Building Skills - Bootcamp
Entrepreneurial Mind set
Idea generation
Planning Discovery conversations
Lean start up – minimum viable product
Value Propositions
Pitching, Elevator pitches, working the room
Emotional Intelligence
Team Building

20. ICURe Then send them out to create networks
Validate possibility to start a company
Enhance University/Industry Collaboration
Put them in front of possible employers
Kill the idea as not wanted
Support/Seed Fund the best entrepreneurial post Docs

21. Thank you for listening
Any questions?

22. Thank you for listening
Any questions?