University of Cambridge
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Revenue sharing at the University of Cambridge

Cambridge Enterprise handles the sharing of licensing revenue with inventors and departments in accordance with the University’s Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy.

Most researchers work through Cambridge Enterprise to commercialise their IP (opt-in). If their funding allows and provided not in contravention of any agreement governing ownership or exploitation of their IP, researchers can choose to commercialise their IP independently (opt-out).

Once researchers opt-in and Cambridge Enterprise agrees to commercialise their IP, Cambridge Enterprise will lend its support to promote commercialisation, including amongst other things: providing IP management services, leveraging its contacts (including industry and investment), introduction to translational and proof of concept funds as well as pre-seed and seed investment programs as appropriate and all other support necessary to help bring the IP to a stage where it can be licensed or spun-out into a new company.

The tables below show the revenue sharing policy for opt-in and opt-out for registrable IP. Net income is income received by Cambridge Enterprise less expenditure on:

  • All reasonable expenses paid outside the University and Cambridge Enterprise, including patent agent fees, for the filing, prosecution and maintenance of IPR
  • All reasonable external legal fees incurred in the commercialisation of the IP
  • All reasonable external legal fees expended on litigation
  • All reasonable expenditure on insurance relating to the maintenance and enforcement of IPR
  • Any revenue due to third parties, such as sponsors
  • Any other expenditure that is agreed upon by the inventors (for example, some types of proof of concept funds)

Cambridge Enterprise distributes income equally between inventors and other relevant creators identified by the inventors, unless advised otherwise in writing. Note that, although Cambridge Enterprise is set up as a for-profit organisation, we donate all our taxable trading surpluses (if any) to the University each year.

IPR – what can be licensed?

  • Copyright –  the expression of ideas (for example, software)
  • Database rights– collections of data (for example, customer details)
  • Design rights – designs (for example, the shape and appearance of packaging such as Coca-Cola’s distinctive bottles)
  • Knowledge – know-how (for example, recipes can be a trade secret)
  • Patents – how something works (for example, a new material)
  • Research reagents – materials produced in laboratory research (for example, model organisms, proteins, DNA/RNA, etc)
  • Trademarks – the designation of origin and reputation of goods and services (for example, a logo)

We follow the University IPR Policy, which sets out the IP rights roles and responsibilities of all those working with IP generated by staff and students within the University, and determines how revenue from commercialisation is shared between you, your Department and the University. Please access more information via the links below.

Revenue sharing opt-in

This refers to the revenue share used when researchers work through Cambridge Enterprise to commercialise their IP.

Net incomeInventor(s)Department(s)Cambridge Enterprise
First £100,000 (£193,108 RPI*)90%5%5%
Next £100,000 (£193,108 RPI*)60%20%20%
Above £200,000 (£386,216 RPI*)34%33%33%

Revenue sharing opt-out

This refers to the revenue share used when researchers are able to and choose to commercialise their IP independently (and no agreement governing ownership or exploitation of their IP precludes this) and the University transfers ownership of the IP to the researchers.

Net incomeInventor(s)Department(s)University
First £50,000 (£96,554 RPI*)100%0%0%
Above £50,000 (£96,554 RPI*)85%7.5%7.5%

*The RPI adjusted threshold, as per direction of the 2005 IPR Policy (that is, adjusted for the period 12/12/2005 to 31/07/2024). For income received during the agreement’s life, thresholds will be RPI adjusted from the date of the receipt of the income back to 12/12/2005, before income is calculated and distributed to the parties listed above.