Morning, Wednesday, 22nd October 2025
Online
This conference will examine priorities for university spin-outs in the UK, in the context of the Government’s £30m investment in regional spin-out hubs, and wider developments in policy and funding set out in the 2025 Spending Review and the Modern Industrial Strategy.
Sessions will consider recent government innovation and funding initiatives and national data and accountability frameworks. These include the new Knowledge Asset Commercialisation Guide published by the Government Office for Technology Transfer to support consistent approaches to valuing and licensing public sector intellectual property, alongside the UK Spin-Out Register, set out by UK Research and Innovation, aiming to increase transparency and enable benchmarking across institutions, as well as the evolving requirements of the Research Excellence Framework 2028, with its stronger emphasis on impact and knowledge exchange.
Cross-sector collaboration, widening participation and sector-specific support
Delegates will discuss implications for cross-sector knowledge exchange, public-private investment strategies, and coordination with wider regional innovation goals. They will also consider strategies for supporting emerging centres of spin-out activity beyond the Golden Triangle and widening participation in commercialisation activity.
The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to discuss the Government’s response to the Independent Review of University Spin-Out Companies, which endorsed a more founder-friendly model of equity allocation and called for clearer, more standardised support for spin-outs across institutions - alongside the Industrial Strategy’s emphasis on regional growth and support for spin-out activity in priority sectors. The development of regionally-focused collaboration between universities, business and investors will be considered in the agenda, particularly in economically-important sectors identified in the strategy, such as life sciences, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, and clean energy. We also expect discussion on the implications of regional variation in institutional culture, investment models, and support frameworks.
Aligning spin-out activity with long-term policy goals
There will be a focus on potential opportunities in alignment of spin-out activity with long-term policy priorities, including around decarbonisation, NHS innovation, and supply chain resilience. Delegates will assess strategic considerations for individual universities as well as sector coordination, including data transparency, alignment of incentives, and coordination across ecosystems. The role of regional models in supporting these objectives will also be considered, including best practice for locally tailored partnerships and institutional approaches to supporting delivery.
Governance models and equity structures
Discussion will draw on the new commercialisation guidance from the Government Office for Technology Transfer, and the updated public sector spinout framework, looking at next steps for practical governance and licensing models to de-risk public investment and streamline routes to market. Attendees will examine institutional approaches to equity allocation by universities, investors, and innovation leaders, in light of new guidance in the independent review encouraging lower university equity shares of 10-25% to incentivise founders.
Support services, academic engagement and transparency in spin-out ecosystems
Further strategies to engage academic founders and adopt shared service models to support spin-out formation and growth will also be discussed, including early-stage commercial planning, and proof-of-concept funding to investor negotiations. Areas for discussion include how Technology Transfer Offices can evolve to offer more agile support services, how institutional policy changes are shaping agreements, and strategies for increasing institutional capacity and developing support for entrepreneurship pathways.
The conference will also consider the role of regional collaboration in developing spin-out ecosystems, including varying institutional approaches to investment, governance, and culture, as well as implications of the recently launched National Spinout Register and initiatives aimed at improving transparency and scale-up support.
Talent, leadership and international competitiveness
The influence of leadership diversity within spin-out teams will be assessed, as well as the impact of recent immigration and visa policy changes - outlined in the 2025 Immigration White Paper - on access to international talent and university planning, including reduced post-study work entitlements and increased sponsor compliance requirements. Discussion will look at the potential impact of new regulations on the sustainability of the UK’s spin-out talent pipeline and priorities for remaining internationally competitive.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include officials from Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland; Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Department for Business and Trade; Department of Health and Social Care; National Audit Office; Intellectual Property Office; the Welsh Government; and The Scottish Government.
