Statement of adoption of the best practices recommended in the spin-out review

The University of Brighton welcomes the recommendations from The Independent Review of Spin-Out Companies, a comprehensive report into university spin-out companies, which encourages innovation and the growth of academic research into commercial prospects.

The University of Brighton’s spin-out portfolio is in early stages, but is growing, and we welcome these recommendations to ensure that:

• Our developing spin-out pipeline processes align with best practice guidelines as presented in the Review as well as in the accompanying University Spinout Investment Terms (USIT) Guide.
• Our university and founder equity stakes are appropriate for each specific new venture, ensuring opportunities for investors and founders are attractive.
• Our spin-out processes are clearly communicated to researchers, across all disciplines, raising awareness of spin-outs as an opportunity to apply research to achieve impact.
• Spin-outs are always considered as an option for the exploitation of all university IP.

Professor Debra Humphris CBE FRCP, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Brighton, said: “We welcome the findings of the report and we intend to align ourselves fully with the review’s recommendations for best practice.”

“We have always had a strong commitment to enterprise and innovation at the University of Brighton, working with commercial partners nationally and internationally. The new guidelines will support and raise the aspirations of our entrepreneurial researchers and innovators, giving them greater opportunity to bring their inventive ideas to market. The vision is to support the development of productive spin-out ecosystems, with universities playing a vital role in establishing the public-private partnerships that mature these.”