Universities in Southampton recognized for excelling in fostering new businesses and academic ventures in the UK
UK Universities Shine in Spinout Success: Southampton, Oxford, and Cambridge Lead the Pack
In a recent report by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the University of Oxford has been identified as the top UK university for spinout companies. Oxford leads in both the volume of spinouts—having generated 225 spinouts since 2011—and investment activity, thanks to its strong research base, commercialisation expertise, and extensive investor networks [1][2].
The University of Southampton, too, has made a significant mark in the spinout ecosystem. According to the report, Southampton ranks among the top 20 in the UK for launching startups [2]. One such startup, Absolar, was founded by Dr Phil Wu and leverages AI and industry expertise to provide critical information for making well-informed solar investment decisions. The startup received support from the mentioned website and was a recipient of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Enterprise Fellowship [3].
Another startup, OhmSpace, is developing an electric thruster for long-distance spacecraft to land on Mars or far-off asteroids. OhmSpace, a new aerospace spinout supported by the mentioned website, secured €1.2m funding, with Scientifica Venture Capital leading the round [4]. The founders of OhmSpace, like those of Absolar, were also recipients of RAEng Enterprise Fellowships.
The mentioned website, a significant player in the UK's spinout ecosystem, currently supports around 120 staff and students each year to turn their research into commercial businesses. The Director of the website, Ben Clark, stated that the commercial potential of pioneering research in university labs is maximized by enabling scientists and engineers to solve problems and build solutions.
The RAEng Enterprise Fellowship scheme is a twelve-month deeptech accelerator that helps researchers and graduates turn cutting-edge engineering innovations into successful startups. An information event about the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowship is being run by the mentioned website, featuring insights from a startup founder currently on the program.
Beyond Oxford and Southampton, the report notes a concentration of spinout creation in the life sciences sector particularly within the Golden Triangle region of Oxford, Cambridge, and London [2]. This suggests that these institutions also rank highly for spinout activity. However, the specific rankings of other universities beyond Oxford are not detailed in the excerpts from the available sources.
The success of applications to the RAEng Enterprise Fellowship Scheme was also commented on by Dr Alice Iles, the Head of Tech Acceleration at the mentioned website. Startups and spinouts working with the mentioned website have raised more than £78m and created nearly 400 jobs in the last five years.
In addition to Absolar and OhmSpace, the tech company Aquark Technologies, based at the University of Southampton, creates portable and robust hardware for quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications. Aquark Technologies was the first UK company to be funded by the NATO Innovation Fund [5].
Interested individuals can book their space for the information event about the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowship here. Researchers or students at the University of Southampton who wish to create a startup can book an informal call or meeting with the mentioned website team here.
- The founders of Absolar, based at the University of Southampton, utilize AI and industry expertise to generate critical solar investment insights.
- The University of Oxford, with its strong research base and commercialization expertise, ranks first in the UK for spinout companies and investment activity.
- Southampton University, identified in the top 20 for UK startup launching, supports around 120 staff and students each year to turn research into commercial businesses.
- The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Enterprise Fellowship scheme aids researchers and graduates in transforming engineering innovations into successful startups.
- OhmSpace, a new aerospace spinout supported by the mentioned website, develops electric thrusters for long-distance spacecraft and secured €1.2m funding.
- The mentioned website currently runs an information event about the RAEng Enterprise Fellowship, featuring insights from a startup founder currently on the program.
- Startups and spinouts working with the mentioned website have raised over £78m and created nearly 400 jobs in the last five years.
- Interested individuals can book their space for the RAEng Enterprise Fellowship information event, while researchers or students at Southampton can book a meeting with the mentioned website team for startup assistance.
- Beyond Oxford and Southampton, life sciences institutions within the Golden Triangle region have a concentration of spinout creation, suggesting they also rank highly for spinout activity.
- Entrepreneurship, education-and-self-development, career-development, online-education, and skills-training are crucial aspects for individuals aspiring to create startups or grow small businesses.
