Warwick Ventures have launched 49 knowledge based spin-out companies employing over 170 staff and to celebrate its 50^th launch it is launching a significant  new company…itself.

After 10 years helping University of Warwick researchers launch spin-out companies and commercialise their research, the University of Warwick's technology transfer office has now become a spin-out company in its own right. The new Warwick Ventures Ltd has just been launched to an invited audience at London's Buckingham Gate hotel on Monday 11 October 2010.

Warwick ventures Director Dr Ederyn Williams said:

 “In 10 years we have made over 100 patent applications, founded 49 companies and raised over £30 million in funding for those companies from venture capitalists and business angels. That was achieved simply as an office within the University. As a company in our own right we can empathise even more with the companies we create and the partners we seek for them and win not just more respect but more funding and more opportunism to create new knowledge based businesses. “

Some of the 50 companies launched by Warwick Ventures include:

• Warwick Audio Technologies:  Researchers from the University School of  Engineering, have founded a company, based on a special flat thin speaker, that now employs 10 staff in Warwick and South Wales
• Streamline Computing: from Warwick’s Computer Science department, now has over 20 staff and £5 million sales. It has provided supercomputer systems to over 100 customers in the UK and Europe, and is a leader in its field
• Warwick Warp: Warwick Computer Scientists, developed software for better computerised fingerprint matching. Now used in dozens of sites, and they are bidding for major contracts worldwide.

 Warwick Ventures web site at: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/ventures

For further information please contact: 

Peter Dunn, Head of Communications
Communications Office, University House,
University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 8UW, United Kingdom   
Email: p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk  
Tel: +44 (0)24 76 523708 
Mobile/Cell:  +44 (0)7767 655860

Pr130   12th October 2010