Spinouts: How Can Universities Turn Research Into Successful Businesses?

The Bottom Line

What happens when university research becomes a business? It’s called a spin-out and it’s built Silicon Valley, with Stanford University at the centre. In the UK, Oxford alone has launched more than 200 in the last 15 years.

Whether it’s a new drug, software or material, brilliant university research can create huge rewards – for founders, universities and the economy. But also battles over who really owns the idea and should get a share of the equity.

Does the spin-out system deliver or does it stall? Evan Davis and a panel of guests discuss.

Guests: Molly Allington, CEO of Albotherm Harry Destecroix, co-founder of Ziylo and also founder of incubator Science Creates in Bristol Amber Hill, founder of Research Grid

Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producers: Phoebe Keane and Sally Abrahams Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Editor: Matt Willis