Disruptive Start ups Are Key For U.K. Growth
Less than 5 % of university graduates launch their own business after graduating from university, according to the latest data from HESA (the Higher Education Statistics Agency). This isn’t surprising given many graduates are keen to secure a stable income after their university years, rather than ‘go it alone’. But start ups have a vital part […]
How this government funding programme has launched over 2,300 startups
Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) runs an extensive programme to promote startups, called EXIST. It offers grants to transfer university research into campus startups, and helps foster a culture of entrepreneurship through innovation workshops, consulting services, and industry connects. The phases of the entrepreneurial journey are evocatively described as Get Started, Get Prepared, Get Together, and Get Traction. […]
University of Cambridge-Backed €175M Fund to Supercharge Local Life Sciences Ecosystem
The money will support the 25 companies in the fund’s portfolio, including the biotech Bicycle Therapeutics, whose peptide-toxin molecules are in clinical trials for the treatment of solid tumors. The money will also fund new enterprises in the Cambridge ecosystem. Further details about the funding were not disclosed. This is the third fundraising round by Cambridge […]
UK incubators nurturing the next biotech generation
What type of environment is best to foster biotechnology startups through their first years? With more UK universities putting resources into supporting spinout companies, and dedicated life science incubators springing up at sites abandoned by large pharmaceutical firms (and elsewhere), the options for entrepreneurs are expanding in scope, style and availability. Keith Powell, a London-based […]
Co-creative university-industry innovation must be core mission of universities
European universities need to embrace change by continuing to forge alliances with innovative companies and independent research groups to use and develop their knowledge in cooperation with the outside world, experts agreed at the 8 March launch of the European University Association’s new report The Role of Universities in Regional Innovation Ecosystems. This analysed in-depth case […]
New university-business partnerships to boost jobs and local economies – GOV.UK
The rollout of new University Enterprise Zones will strengthen links between the research and expertise developed in universities, and ensure they further align with the needs of local businesses. UEZs are a form of ‘incubator’ that provide physical space and facilities for small businesses, where they access support, specialist facilities and knowledge. Helping universities to […]
New Provost-Led Innovation Competition Offers €10k Funding Prize
Students will be challenged to come up with solutions to a set of social problems chosen by the College community, with the chance of winning €10,000 in funding, as part of an innovation project led by Provost Patrick Prendergast. The competition, which is being run by Trinity’s entrepreneurship hub, Tangent, offers students the chance to […]
Bumper year for NUI Galway startups as they reaped €35m in investment funds
In a very successful year for innovation during 2018, NUI Galway start-ups secured €35 million between private equity investment and research funding while the 36 companies based at the university’s Business Innovation Centre now employ 173 people, which represents an increase of 20 per cent over 2017. The year also saw NUI Galway sign more […]
RGU’s Start-up Accelerator to boost Aberdeenshire innovation
Robert Gordon University’s (RGU) new initiative, the first funded programme of its kind in the north-east of Scotland, will support 28 entrepreneurial teams of students, staff and recent alumni from RGU and North East Scotland College (NESCol). Organisers hope the programme will help the region’s entrepreneurs and innovators create new businesses. The business teams will receive training and expert […]
UNICEF’s Innovation Fund announces first cohort of blockchain investments in emerging markets
Six companies in developing and emerging economies will receive investment from UNICEF’s Innovation Fund to solve global challenges using blockchain technology. The UNICEF Innovation Fund will invest up to $100,000 USD in the six companies; Atix Labs, Onesmart,Prescrypto, Statwig, Utopixar and W3 Engineers to deliver open-source prototypes of blockchain applications within 12-months. Selected from more than 100 applications across 50 countries, these six […]