Creating Sparks - Innovation and Enterprise at Northumbria

Oisin MacNamaraDirector, Research, Business and Innovation

Support Northumbria Conference

Tuesday 20th April, 2010

Internationalisation

Management, Governance and Resources

Research

Innovation

Enterprise

and Region, Engagementand Partnerships

Learning

and

Teaching

Corporate Plans

• Support for creation of knowledge and• application of that knowledge for society

• Research support, incl. REF – session 3b

• Business and Innovation

RBI – What’s our role?

• Application of knowledge to meet needs of society

• More than just £s

• Emphasis on impact

What is Innovation and Enterprise?

Research-led Teaching-led

Collaborative research CPD incl. workforce development:

* non-accredited (short courses) * accredited (customised programmes)

Contract research Enterprise in curriculum

Consultancy

Commercialisation of Intellectual Property (IP)

Range of Activities (1)

• Annual survey by HEFCE, now HESA

• Financial and activity data

• Proxy for measuring demand of HEI services from business and community

• Source of financial data for formulaic core funding for HEIs

Statutory Reporting – HEBCIS(HE Business and Community Interaction Survey)

Higher Education –Business and Community Interaction SurveyFigure 2 Income by activity and partner 2007-08

Source: HE-BCI Part B Tables 1b, 2 and 4c

0.53

0.28

0.38

0.12

0.83

0.63

4.83

4.72

3.87

1.81

1.46

1.81

5.35

5.00

4.26

1.93

2.28

2.44

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0

2003/4

2004/5

2005/6

2006/7

2007/8

2008/9

£ Millions

Total user-led research Income

Contract research

Collaborative research

HE Business and Community Interaction Survey 2003/4 - 2008/9

Income from User-led Research (03/04 – 08/09) Northumbria University

Income from CPD courses for business and the community (03/04 – 08/09) Northumbria University

HE Business and Community Interaction Survey 2003/4 - 2008/9

• Fall in research-related income over 6 years matched by increase in CPD

• But this measures turnover, not profit and the University has become stronger and more stable financially, by being more selective in its sourcing of external income

• However, need balanced portfolio at School and University level – this includes the need to address research-driven innovation in particular.

Summary

Creating Sparks - Innovation and Enterprise at Northumbria

John WilkinsonAssistant DirectorResearch, Business and Innovation

Support Northumbria Conference

Tuesday 20th April, 2010

External & Internal

• Commercial ‘Gateway’• Flexible response to needs of business, staff, students,

partners• Promotion and support of Innovation & Enterprise• Contracts / Legal / Professional Indemnity• Systems Support; ISO 9001:2008

RBI (Business) – What’s our role?

To Double

• Income from applied collaborative research, consultancy and non accredited training

• Concurrent KTPs (to 20 from 10)• Income from IP related activities

and increase

• Patents & Disclosures by 50%• Equity Holdings in staff Spin-Out companies• Undergraduates engaged in Enterprise in the Curriculum

by 50%• Undergraduate Spin-Out companies and associated

employees

Northumbria TargetsKnowledge Transfer (KT) Activities

Areas of Activity – Research; Innovation & Enterprise

• Collaborative Research • Contract Research • Consultancy • Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)• Continued Professional Development (CPD) – non

accredited• Short Courses• Tender Alert and Support• Commercialisation & Intellectual Property• Staff and Student Enterprise

RBI (B) – What we do

University Policies• Consultancy Policy / Managing External Work• School Capacity Building• Introduction of BDMs in Schools

RBI Support• Dedicated Specialist Managers / Contacts• Quality Management System, ISO 9001:2008 accredited• Management information (e.g. Agresso)• Administration / Commercial Contacts• Tender Alert / Funding Opportunities

RBI – Policies & Support

CommercialAdministration

Information & Guidance

ISO 9001 Quality System

BusinessInterface

Clientsand partners:• Regional• National• International

SchoolsBDM’sServicesStudentsStaff

Business with External Clients:Training / CPDConsultancyCollaborative ResearchKTP’s

Student & GraduateEnterprise:Start-up supportEnterprise programmes

StaffEnterprise:Commercialisationof Research andIP

TenderAlerts

MIS

RBI(B) - Activities and Support

• Engaging with clients – regional, national, international, start-ups, sole traders, SMEs, blue chip, multinational, local authority

• Participating in business networks -events, public sector, local government, maintaining awareness of initiatives, close links with ONE, BLNE CBI, NECC, NOF, EEF

• Developing commercial activity – proposals, contracts, agreements, funding support

Relationships – external

• Individual “engaged” academics

• Small groups of like minded academics (intra and extra School)

• BDM’ in Schools

• Dedicated Outward Facing Quasi-Commercial Units

• HEIF Funding - Dedicated Support posts in Schools and RBI

• KTP Development - School representatives with Central KTP manager in RBI

Relationships - internal

Business and management Leadership BioscienceForeign Languages Construction Energy

Sustainability Environment SafetyMaterials testing and analysis Product Design

Partnership Working Healthcare CommunitySocial care Volunteer training Wellbeing

Business Psychology Information SecurityComputing Forensic science Legal services

Information and records management FashionMultimedia Visual and performing arts

Some areas of expertise

• Support to Industry and Commerce

• Enterprise support to staff and students

• Income to the University

• Foundation for future income diversification

RBI(B) - Summary

Creating Sparks – Commercialisation of Research at Northumbria

Graham HopsonCommercialisation ManagerResearch, Business and Innovation

Support Northumbria Conference

Tuesday 20th April, 2010

Innovation Campus is a unique service providing:

• Funding for innovative applied research (through the Innovation Seed Fund)

• Commercial training for academic staff

• Development of ideas to business plans (through the Business Plan Challenge)

• Commercialisation support for commercial ventures and new technologies.

• Lead generation, marketing and promotion of University services (through Active Business Incubator)

What do we do?

HEFCE Innovation Funding (HEIF 4)

Graham Hopson – Commercialisation Manager

Gill King – Commercialisation Support Manager

How are we funded?

What support do we offer to academic staff?

2009 -

3 licence agreements

Royalty - £515,000

1 spin out company - Quantum Genetics Ltd

Commercial agreements - mainly with large companies

Where are we now…….

• Research Group – i.e. more than one researcher involved

• Willingness to embrace/commit to commercial R&D and align research – to Industrial needs.

• “Packaging research” – so that it is easy for external companies to understand the offering –

understanding markets and company requirements

• Large Company collaborations are best value

…….and repeat customers (if the price is right and delivered to timescale) - e.g. Cadbury’s, Almac Sciences, GSK, PepsiCo, Biomerieux

What works best

Creating Sparks – Student and Graduate Enterprise at Northumbria

Roger Candy, Business Partnerships ManagerGraham Baty, Enterprise Support Manager Research, Business and Innovation

Support Northumbria Conference

Tuesday 20th April, 2010

The provision of accessible, free enterprise skills and start-up support across the University’s community of students and graduates.

Student and Graduate Enterprise

• Since 2003/4 we have supported over 150 new businesses.

• We continue to offer support to full trading for companies set up by members of the learning community.

• Press coverage of our new starts has continued to be extensive and very favourable.

Start up enterprises

• 4-6 Months or longer.

• Advice and Mentoring.

• Part 1: Orientation and Definition.

• Part 2: Business Link and Specialised Advise.

• No direct financial support but support in kind.

Support available - 1

• The University doesn’t want any part of the business. “It’s your business”.

• Can be any business area or discipline base but must be initially vetted.

• Hatchery and Incubator.

• Integrates with national, regional and local business support.

Support available - 2

• Self directed individual students and partnerships.

• Founded on practical know how, professional and personal skills and talent

• Self finance their growth.

• Start ‘sophisticated’. Trade and source internationally from the outset.

• Strongly customer centred. Many present an existing customer base.

• Want to remain autonomous. Very independent minded.

Pattern of Start-Ups - 1

• About 150 over three years.

• More than 2/3 still trading after first year.

• About 1/3 are design based.

• About another 1/3 are ‘creative’.

• Never involve prior development work. They are always commercial from the word go.

Pattern of Start-Ups - 2

• Specialist modules and programmes in particular vocational areas

• ‘Graduate Enterprise’ modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels

• ‘Professional Award for Student and Graduate Enterprise’

• There are usually about 200 learners pursuing enterprise related studies at undergraduate level.

Enterprise in the curriculum

RBI Contacts

Oisin MacNamara Director 2274106

John Wilkinson Assistant Director 2273348

Graham Hopson Commercialisation Manager 2437590

Roger Candy Business Partnerships Manager2274220

Graham Baty Enterprise Support Manager 2437396

21/22 Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST