It is now six years since NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre at UCD, officially opened. While it is recognised that there is a long lead-time involved in commercialising the results of university research, the significant achievements made in UCD during 2009 and during the last number of years, justify the faith of the initial sponsors who invested over €11 million in NovaUCD.
NovaUCD's 2009 results and related developments are outlined further in its annual report which is published today.
Click here for the NovaUCD 2009 Report (complete version).
As outlined in Forming Global Minds UCD’s new strategic plan, UCD has three core objectives for innovation:
- To maximise the impact of UCD’s knowledge and expertise to benefit Ireland
- To foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship at 3rd and 4th levels
- To foster innovation amongst all UCD staff.
Since the introduction of the Enterprise Ireland Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative NovaUCD is supporting an increasing level of commercialisation activity arising from UCD research. This includes licensing to established companies and new ventures. By 2014 through the development of the Innovation Alliance with TCD, UCD should witness a step-change in such activities, particularly in the establishment of campus companies. These outcomes will reflect a major shift in the research and innovation culture of the University.
By 2014, UCD’s offerings at undergraduate and postgraduate level will be transformed to embed aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship through the Innovation Academy. At 3rd and 4th levels UCD will mainstream courses in innovation and entrepreneurship. This will give all postgraduate students access to a range of transferable skills and a knowledge of business, thus providing them with a wider set of career options beyond their core discipline. Since 2008, courses delivered by NovaUCD, on starting a business and on commercialisation of intellectual property (IP) have been introduced into the structured PhD programme.
The availability of PhD graduates with a knowledge and interest in commercial issues should make a significant impact on the generation of spin-out companies. The promoters of spin-out companies such as Celtic Catalysts and ChangingWorlds were experienced researchers and their PhD students. This model enables the researcher to remain in the University while playing a significant role in the development of the company.
During the period of the new strategic plan, UCD will foster and reward innovation amongst UCD staff through specific inclusion of innovation as a criterion for promotion.
During the period 2005 to 2009, 13 new UCD spin-out companies were incorporated and a total of 50 high-tech and knowledge-intensive companies, 33% of which were UCD spin-out companies, have located at NovaUCD. A further 40 promoters of new ventures occupied desk space at NovaUCD. The increasing strength of the IP pipeline is also encouraging. In the last 5-years, nearly 250 inventions have been disclosed by UCD researchers. In addition, over 120 patent applications have been filed and over 50 licence agreements have been signed with a range of indigenous and international companies.
In 2009 NovaUCD continued to develop its expertise, its comprehensive programmes and its state-of-the-art facilities to support innovators and entrepreneurs in commercialising the output of their research and other knowledge-intensive activities of the University.
Key achievements during the last year include:
- €300,000 generated from commercialisation of research
- Seven new UCD spin-out companies incorporated
- Eighty-five invention disclosures reported
- Forty-seven patent applications filed across all areas of life sciences, engineering and information communication technology including
- 25 priority patent applicationso
- 17 PCT (Patent Co-operation Treaty) applications
- 5 national/regional patent applications
- Fifteen licence agreements concluded with a range of indigenous and international companies
- Fifteen new ventures completed the NovaUCD 2009 Campus Company Development Programme
- BiancaMed successfully raised €6 million in second round funding
- UCD’s most successful licence to date, a BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) test, has now earned over €2 million in royalty income
- The NovaUCD 2009 Innovation Award was presented to Nicola Mitchell, founder Life Scientific and BioScientific Diagnostics
- Twenty-four knowledge-intensive ventures occupying 85% of the incubation space located at NovaUCD at year end.
During 2009 NovaUCD continued its various initiatives to support researchers and entrepreneurs.
- NovaUCD arranged and hosted well over 100 events to increase awareness of intellectual property and other commercial issues and to promote a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation among researchers, students and staff
- Accredited PhD modules in innovation and knowledge transfer were delivered as part of UCD’s Graduate Studies’ Structured PhD Programme
- Increasing levels of support were provided by NovaUCD and its network for innovators and entrepreneurs in bringing their ideas from the research laboratory through proof-of-principle and prototype development to successful commercialisation.
NovaUCD was also involved in a number of international organisations including AURIL, Institute of Knowledge Transfer and ProTon Europe. The aim is to enhance the contribution of universities to innovation by increasing the efficiency of knowledge transfer and university/industry collaboration and enhancing the status and recognition of the knowledge transfer profession.
Summary Key 2009 Metrics
- € 300,000 generated from commercialisation of research
- 7 new UCD spin-outs incorporated
- 85 invention disclosures
- 25 priority patent applications
- 17 PCT patent applications
- 5 national/regional patent applications
- 15 licence agreements
- 24 companies located at NovaUCD
- 15 new ventures completed NovaUCD’s 2009 CCDP
Summary Key Metrics 2005-2009
- ChangingWorlds acquired for $60 million
- €2.6 million generated from commercialisation of research
- 50 start-ups availed of NovaUCD’s incubation facilities
- 13 new UCD spin-outs incorporated
- 247 invention disclosures
- 88 priority patent applications
- 53 licence agreements
These and other developments are outlined further in this Report.
ENDS
8 June 2010
For further information contact Micéal Whelan, NovaUCD, t: +353 1 716 3712 , e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.