Swansea University has maintained its position among the leading UK institutions for developing spinout companies, ranking ninth nationally and holding the top spot in Wales. The fifth annual Spotlight on Spinouts report, sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering, acknowledges Swansea's formation of 58 spinouts since 2011.
The report provides a thorough analysis of spinout trends in the UK, detailing the performance of universities, geographic distribution, intellectual property policies, and identifying the top sectors, investors, and investees. It also examines survival rates, growth patterns, Innovate UK grants, and the composition of spinout leadership in terms of gender, age, and nationality.
Spinouts are vital for commercializing intellectual property, a field where UK academic institutions are leading players. The UK government has emphasized the economic and strategic importance of spinouts, as highlighted in the November 2023 Independent Review of University Spin-out Companies. Swansea University committed to best practice policies for spinout deal terms as an early adopter in 2024.
Recent notable spinouts from Swansea University include Celtic Vascular, which develops AI-driven software for detecting coronary heart disease with high accuracy; Ail Arian, known for its patented silver recovery method from printed electronics; and Corryn Biotechnologies, which innovates biomimetic wound dressings for direct application.
Professor Helen Griffiths, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, remarked, "Our long-standing reputation in research and innovation foregrounds our enterprise ambitions at Swansea University, and it is an honour to be recognised once again among the UK’s leading institutions for spinout success. This reflects our commitment to translating research into real-world impact." She emphasized the university's dedication to fostering entrepreneurial growth through its Enterprise Strategy 2023-28, aimed at generating economic benefits locally and beyond.