19 May 2010

University's business support highlighted at global conference

The University of Dundee's efforts to support young businesses are being showcased at a prestigious international conference in Florida this week.

The NBIA International Conference on Business Incubation is one of the world's largest gatherings for incubation and economic development professionals. This year’s event marks the 25th anniversary of the NBIA - the US-based National Business Incubation Association.

'The University of Dundee has a strong track record of technology commercialisation, including the creation of spin-out companies based on the university's intellectual property,' said John Mackenzie, Company Development Manager in the University’s Research and Innovation Services (RIS).

'At the NBIA conference we will be sharing our incubation model and our experiences to help others learn how to develop and implement a similar programme. The conference is the premier place in the world to share best practice and knowledge exchange, so we are well represented on this global stage.'

The Preincorporated Business Incubation Model has been developed by RIS and is borne out of good and bad experience over the last 10 years.

John will be joined by co presenter Alister Minty, Managing Director of Frontier IP Ltd. Frontier IP have added to the model by accelerating access to capital and commercial expertise. 'Working together with the founding academic and the University particularly helps to align all stakeholder interests and objectives' commented Alister.

The NBIA conference is taking place this week in Orlando, Florida. For more on the conference see: www.nbia.org/events/conf2010/.

Background facts & figures:

26 spinout & start-up companies have been created from Dundee over 28 years (since Axis-Shield plc in 1982). These are collectively currently generating over £89m in annual turnover and creating over 700 jobs worldwide, including up to 300 in Dundee. 22 of these companies were created in the last 10 years whilst raising up to £150m in funding, with 20 of them still in operation.

Research and Innovation Services is the university's Technology Transfer Office with a department of 40 working in teams directed at:

• pre-award research support
• knowledge transfer
• commercialisation

www.dundee.ac.uk/research.

Dundee University Incubator Ltd is a wholly owned University of Dundee subsidiary launched in July 2005, providing dedicated shell space for fledgling technology companies, in the form of lab (wet and/or dry) and office space within a 10,000 square foot building.

www.dundeeincubator.com.

Frontier IP Ltd specialises in the commercialisation of Intellectual Property (IP) by establishing partnerships with individual universities and research institutions to assist with their spin-out and licensing activities and help maximise the commercial value of technologies emerging from their research programmes. www.frontierip.co.uk.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
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