UK: A thriving market

Universities make a major contribution to the British economy in collaborative research projects with industry, spin-out companies and consultancies. A recent survey showed that in 2006-07, income from collaborative research rose by 12% from the previous year to £670 million (US$1,336 million). The UK government's higher education innovation fund distributes a total of £110 million a year, rising to £150 million by 2010, to all higher education institutions in England to help them commercialise research.


Commenting on The Higher Education-Business and Community Interaction survey, Science and Innovation Minister Ian Pearson said: "Universities are shifting up a gear when it comes to working with business and making an economic impact. In percentage growth terms, collaborative research with industry in the UK is growing at a faster rate than the Chinese economy."

In 2006-07, 226 spin-out companies were formed out of university intellectual property, an increase of 10% on the previous year. The government has also set up a technology strategy board to promote university and business interaction and through the knowledge partnerships scheme which will be expanded. This scheme helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that can be found in higher education institutions.

Leeds University is one of those at the forefront of these developments. It was the first university in the country to create a technology transfer company, 30 years ago, called Leeds Innovations. Since then, the university reports that 40% of its academics are involved in applied research or consultancy contracts with industry and public sector to a value of £36 million.

In the past two years, the university has filed more than 60 patents, developed 23 knowledge transfer partnerships with local companies and nurtured 45 companies founded by undergraduates. Areas of collaboration range from particle science, tissue engineering, digital print and wireless communication.

Richard Keegan, project manager for strategy and marketing at Leeds, explained the university has a long track record in spinning out companies on the back of research. "We have made enhancement of knowledge transfer one of the key elements of the university's strategy. The application of knowledge outside the academic environment is integral to what we are about. We have never been afraid to look at different business models."

One of its spin-off companies is Getech which specialises in mapping areas targeted for oil exploration and was the first university spin-off to float on the alternative investment market. The company, formed in 1986, evolved from a small university research group and became a spin-off company in October 2000.

Among more recent projects is a new way of cleaning clothes using less than 2% of the water and energy of a conventional washing machine. The revolutionary technology will provide alternatives to both domestic washing and dry cleaning, heralding the world's first 'virtually waterless' washing system. Xeros, a spin-off company, is commercialising the technology with some of the biggest names in the laundry and dry-cleaning industries.

The process is based on the use of plastic granules (or chips) which are tumbled with the clothes to remove stains, leaving clothes as fresh as normal washing. In addition, the clothes emerge from the process almost dry, reducing the need for tumble-dryers.

And, not only clothes but cars. Easy-clean coatings from the university's spin-off company Chamelic could help to make this a misery of the past. Chamelic's coatings can be applied to metals, glass and plastics outside and inside for domestic and industrial uses. After extensive testing with industrial partners, the company hopes to be on the market soon.

diane.spencer@uw-news.com