€1.67bn EU fund for researchers set aside for 2016, open to world
Within the new series of competitions set out by the ERC starting today, the call begins for Starting Grants 2016, which has a budget of €485m and is open to researchers with between two and seven years of experience since completion of PhD and what the ERC are calling a “promising scientific track record”. Other […]
Students to call the shots in Dutch venture capital fund
The Dutch Student Investment Fund was launched last week by the University of Twente to back spinouts from Twente and its partner institution Saxion Academy with funding of between €25,000 and €100,000. The fund will be run by five students, assisted by experienced board members and investors including Erwin Holtland, an investor in the local […]
Google Ventures Invests in Oxford University Venture Fund
Google Ventures’ European branch has invested in Oxford Sciences Innovation PLC, a company that funds spinoffs from Oxford University’s tech and science departments, a person familiar with the matter said Friday. Google Ventures is Google’s fund for early-stage tech investments. The investment in OSI is Google Ventures’ second in Europe since it was set up […]
Mercia investors warm to group’s approach to university start-ups
If only investors had it that easy: gaining some exposure to the next hot start-up without the risk that it might fail. Several University spinout groups such as Imperial Innovations and IP Group have had mixed fortunes as investors took fright after the 2008 financial crisis. Now, Mercia Technologies, which listed on Aim last December, […]
PwC Malta’s €1m Start-up Fund attracts 87 applications
PwC Malta has received 87 applications so far for its €1 million Start-up Fund launched in mid-June 2013. This is an initiative whereby PwC Malta assists start-ups with innovative business ideas, by providing pro-bono advisory services. The fund is supported by Times of Malta. Applications are reviewed by a selection committee that meets on a […]
$474M Fund Will Support Oxford University Spinouts | TechCrunch
A new £300 million U.K. fund has been set up to support high tech startups looking to spin out of the University of Oxford. The fund is being raised by Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI), a newly formed company that is working in partnership with Oxford University and its commercialization arm, Isis Innovation. The two entities will work to establish new IP-driven […]
University of Edinburgh refreshes £6million venture fund
The University of Edinburgh has approved a £6million recapitalisation of its in-house venture capital fund Old College Capital (OCC), which provides growth and development finance into companies associated with the university. The fund, established in 2011 with support from the university and its endowment, works in partnership with investors interested in businesses with high growth […]
Europeon Union unleashes innovation fund to spur growth in Europe
Improving Europe’s capacity to innovate and be globally competitive requires further efforts to encourage disruptive ideas and foster their commercial up-take. These are some of the conclusions to be drawn from the latest ranking of innovation performance across Europe. The European Commission’s Innovation Union Scoreboard 2015 reveals that the EU’s overall level of innovation has […]
Mercia launches start-up competition for Life Sciences Sector
Mercia Fund Management (MFM), one of the leading UK technology investors, announces the launch of its quarterly start-up competition, The Pitch, with the chance for the winner to receive £3000. This quarter’s competition focuses on businesses within the Life Sciences sector. Mercia is currently inviting applications from the life science sector, specifically biotechnology, medical devices […]
Med tech start-up exits Bank of Ireland Seed Fund with US$21m valuation
Galway med tech company neoSurgical has become the first start-up to exit the 2009 Bank of Ireland Seed and Early Stage Fund after raising US$6m from US investor SAIG. Kernel Capital said that it has commenced the formal divestment of the 2009 Bank of Ireland Seed and Early Stage Fund, which has a portfolio of almost […]