19 June 2014

Warwick Ventures among the best UK University Commercialisation offices for capturing and protection of results from research

Warwick Ventures, the University of Warwick’s commercialisation office is among the UK’s best in terms of its patenting and technology disclosure effectiveness.

According to figures released recently by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Warwick Ventures has continued its trend of improving its ability to seek out the University’s inventions from research and prepare them for use in society. Within the elite Russell Group of Universities it is now fourth in terms of the number of disclosures it processes and protects by patenting as a proportion of the University’s annual research income.

The latest data for 2012/13 shows Warwick achieving 13 disclosures and 6 patent filings for every £10 million of research income invested.

“These figures show that the University of Warwick offers increasing good value in delivering Societal Impact for the research funding it receives. We can also see these figures improving each year and have put plans in place to keep the momentum going. Getting the benefits of Research out into Society is central to the culture at Warwick – the “Warwick Way” ” says Kevin Marks, Chief Operating Officer for Warwick Ventures Ltd, the University’s technology commercialisation office.

The HEFCE figures also show that Warwick’s spin out company portfolio is recovering strongly from the recession. University of Warwick spin out companies were employing more than 105 staff in 2012/13, making Warwick the second most successful Russell Group University in the Midlands, proportionally just behind the larger research funded Nottingham, with 159 staff.

On Average Warwick spin outs attracted around £288,000 in external investment in the year 2012/13 a figure which is increasing in 2013/14.

“The success of our spin out portfolio shows that the University of Warwick is contributing positively to the local economy, providing jobs and attracting investment into the region,” adds Kevin.