Income generated from the University of Cambridge’s commercialisation activities continued to rise in 2010, as did the number of intellectual property, consultancy and equity agreements signed on behalf of the University and its researchers.

Cambridge Enterprise, spearheaded by Teri Willey (pictured) and responsible for the commercialisation of university research, says income from licensing, consultancy and equity realisations was £8.4 million, of which £6.6 million was or will be distributed to academics and departments.

Cambridge Enterprise currently provides support to close to 1,000 University researchers at all stages of the commercialisation process, from supporting grant proposals, to licensing technology to existing companies, through to funding new companies and ventures.

The past year saw a significant increase in consultancy activity, with the number of signed agreements up 33 per cent and the number of new agreements up 37 per cent over 2009.

One-third of this year’s consultancy projects were from new academic consultants. The types of consultancy projects vary widely from tendered public contracts to expert witness work.

The broad scope of projects reflects the wide range of University research that is in demand by both industry and government.

Cambridge Enterprise also invests intellectual property and cash to create new companies and ventures based on Cambridge research. Currently, Cambridge Enterprise holds equity in 72 companies and manages ‘evergreen’ seed funds on the University’s behalf.

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Challenge Fund, established as part of a national government initiative to fund university innovation. Over the past decade, the University of Cambridge Challenge Fund has supported the development of 23 companies, which have gone on to raise close to £120 million in funding.

The Challenge Fund is one of the three funds managed by Cambridge Enterprise, along with the University Venture Fund and the University of Cambridge Discovery Fund. The Discovery Fund, launched in 2008 as part of the 800th Anniversary Campaign, has so far raised £1.5 million of its £5 million goal.

This year, the Fund made seed investments in two new Cambridge spin-outs: Sphere Fluidics, which is developing droplets that serve as ‘miniature test tubes’, and PneumaCare, which has developed a novel non-contact lung
monitoring device, currently in trials at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

This year marks three full years for Cambridge Enterprise operating as a wholly owned affiliate of the university. During this period, nearly 900 IP transactions were completed, the number of consultancy projects increased by more than 70 per cent, and companies receiving seed funding from Cambridge Enterprise have gone on to raise more than £600 million in funding.

Income from licensing, consultancy and equity transactions for the period exceeded £27 million, with over £22 million of that amount being returned to University researchers and departments.

Chief executive Tery Willey said: “Many thanks to all our directors, staff, academic partners and business colleagues for their vital part in ensuring the continuing and future impact of Cambridge innovation, and to the Hauser-Raspe Foundation for providing purpose-built offices critical  to fulfilling our mandate.”

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Group performance indicators for the financial year 2009/10:
• 415 disclosures
• 277 transactions
• £8.4million income
• £6.6million returned to the University, academics and others
• 561 active agreements undermanagement including 167 research licences

Comprised of:
147 new IP disclosures received
124 patent applications filed
97 IP transactions signed: 73 for commercial purposes and 24 for other purposes, including research licences
37 proof of concept projects and follow-on funding projects supported by Cambridge Enterprise; 21 projects
awarded funding totalling £660,000,of which £145,000 was awarded from Cambridge Enterprise’s proof of
concept fund
209 consultancy disclosures received (new consultancy projects)
165 consultancy agreements signed
59 new business ideas disclosed and reviewed
11 companies contributing new equity to the portfolio, of which 8 were new companies to the portfolio, and
3 through further follow-on funding
72 companies in which Cambridge Enterprise holds equity

The 2010 Annual Review is available at:
www.enterprise.cam.ac.uk/uploads/File/AnnualReviews/CambridgeEnterpriseAnnualReview2009-10.pdf

CAMBRIDGE ENTERPRISE - IN DEPTH

Cambridge Enterprise and the Schools of the University

Biological Sciences
A field-specific licence for an antibody engineering technology was extended to all fields with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
The technology, developed by a team led by Dr Mike Clark of the Department of Pathology and by Dr Lorna Williamson of the Department of Haematology, has already been incorporated into Pfizer’s tanezumab, which is currently in clinical trials for pain relief.
Pfizer now wishes to have greater access to the technology for use in other therapeutic antibodies in development.

Clinical Medicine
Cambridge Enterprise has funded the development of several technologies with huge potential medical impact, including the Cambridge CS Controller developed by Professor of Clinical MRI, David J. Lomas, that makes
interrogating 3D MRI data intuitive and straightforward.
Dr Peter Smielewski, developer of the ICM+ software which provides improved data monitoring in intensive care settings, customised and installed the software and provided training in its use to many hospitals and universities worldwide.

Technology
Professor Kenichi Soga of the Department of Engineering,who specialises in the monitoring of ground movements where structures such as tunnels have been constructed, completed several consultancy agreements this year. Enval Limited, a spin-out from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology,was commissioned by Canadian company Montebello Packaging to test its patented plastic laminate recycling method on Montebello’s laminate tubes.