Share:
The University Spin-out Investment Term Guide (the USIT Guide) is a set of recommendations for negotiating investment deals created by prominent VC investors and leading universities. Its aim is to facilitate faster negotiations, to identify a landing zone for what a positive deal should look like and to demonstrate that there is a shared commitment across both the TTO and VC communities to work together to build businesses that can change the world.
The USIT Guide was launched in April 2023 in London. The agenda for the launch event included a keynote from George Freeman MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and two panel sessions discussing:
- Can the relationship between VCs and universities be an international differentiator?
- What will it take to deliver the UK’s Science Superpower agenda?
The panels were followed by a drinks reception and networking.
Watch the video below for an overview of the launch event.
The USIT Guide can unlock the full potential from UK universities research, helping to create more spin-outs faster and attracting increased venture investment. USIT can support our universities create the companies that can contribute to solving the great challenges of our time, from climate to health and the digital revolution.
Contributors are the technology transfer offices of the University of Cambridge, the University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, the University of Manchester, University of Oxford and UCL – and seven leading investors – Abingworth, Advent Life Sciences, Amadeus Capital Partners, Cambridge Innovation Capital, Octopus Ventures, Oxford Science Enterprises, and Soffinova.
The publication, which is supported by TenU, a group of university technology transfer offices in the UK and US, including MIT, Stanford and Columbia, reflects successful practice around the world.
The USIT Guide was created over a 16-month period from January 2022, and supported by a sector-wide consultation which was supported by BioIndustry Association (BIA), the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) and PraxisAuril. The initiative was funded by Research England. The USIT Guide working group is chaired by Cambridge Enterprise Chief Executive, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien.
