AGM Statement
IP2IPO Group PLC
25 April 2006
For immediate release 25 April 2006
IP2IPO GROUP PLC
('the Company')
AGM Statement
The Company announces that all the proposed resolutions were approved at its
Annual General Meeting this afternoon. In particular, the Company's share
capital subdivision and its change of name to IP Group plc will become effective
on 26 April 2006.
With regards the 5 for 1 share capital subdivision, the record date for the
change is 25 April 2006. For shareholders with Crest accounts, the new shares
will be credited to their account on 26 April 2006. Shareholders holding share
certificates should expect to have their new certificates posted on or around 5
May 2006.
Following the share subdivision, there will be 229,053,905 Ordinary Shares of 2p
each ('Ordinary Shares') in issue. Application has been made for these Ordinary
Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM: such admission is expected to take
place on 26 April 2006.
For further information about IP2IPO Group please contact:
IP2IPO Group 020 7489 5200
Alan Aubrey, Chief Executive Officer
KBC Peel Hunt Ltd 020 7418 8900
Megan McIntyre
Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000
Mark Court, Tim Anderson, Mary-Jane Johnson
About IP2IPO Group plc
IP2IPO Group is an intellectual property (IP) company that specialises in
commercialising university technology. The Company was founded in 2001 and
listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange plc in October 2003.
IP2IPO's first partnership was with the University of Oxford. In return for an
investment of £20 million, IP2IPO Group has acquired 50 per cent of the
University of Oxford's equity in spin-out companies and technology licenses
based on intellectual property created at the Chemistry Department until 2015.
In November 2003, IP2IPO Group created a £5 million seed capital fund for
investing in spin-out companies across the University of Oxford, not just those
originating within the Chemistry Department.
In March 2002, IP2IPO Group entered into a second long-term partnership with the
University of Southampton. Under the terms of this partnership, IP2IPO Group is
committed to working with the University of Southampton in the identification
and facilitation of spin-out companies from across the University of Southampton
and to investing £5 million in early-stage University of Southampton spin-out
companies over a four year period in return for equity stakes in those
companies. In addition, IP2IPO Group also received a 20 per cent stake in
Southampton Asset Management Limited, a company that has been formed to hold the
University's equity stakes in its spin-out companies. The partnership has a term
of at least 25 years.
IP2IPO Group entered into its third long-term partnership in May 2003 with
King's College London. IP2IPO Group works with King's College London to help
identify and progress commercialisation opportunities as well as invest £5
million in seed capital in spin-out companies from King's College London over a
five year period in return for equity stakes in those companies. In addition,
IP2IPO Group receives 20 per cent of King's College London's equity in spin-out
companies and technology licenses. The partnership has a term of 25 years.
In October 2003, IP2IPO Group announced a fourth partnership with the Centre for
Novel Agricultural Products ('CNAP'), based at the University of York. CNAP is a
flagship research centre that specialises in plant and microbial gene discovery.
Under the terms of the partnership a new company, Amaethon Limited, has been
created which has the right to commercialise CNAP's IP for 25 years. IP2IPO
Group has invested £1.15m in Amaethon Limited in return for a 40 per cent.
equity stake in Amaethon Limited (the remaining equity being owned by the
University of York) and will also invest in the spin-out companies based on
CNAP's IP which Amaethon Limited creates.
In June 2004, IP2IPO Group acquired Top Technology Ventures Limited, an
investment adviser to early stage technology funds. This combines IP2IPO Group's
expertise in the creation of new ventures based on world leading university IP
with Top Technology's focus on making early stage venture capital investments.
In January 2005, IP2IPO Group acquired Techtran, a company set up in 2002 to
commercialise university intellectual property under a long-term technology
commercialisation contract with the University of Leeds. Under the terms of the
contract Techtran receives a significant (30 per cent.) interest in spin-out
companies created and technology licences negotiated, in return for the
provision of technology transfer services to the University.
In May 2005, IP2IPO Group announced the launch of Modern Biosciences, which will
in-license life science intellectual property created by medical researchers at
universities with which IP2IPO already has partnerships, other universities in
the UK and similar academic and charitable research institutions. Modern
Biosciences' objective is to further develop the intellectual property which it
in-licenses with a view to creating substantial value either by subsequently
licensing these development programmes to the pharmaceutical industry or via the
creation of new ventures.
In December 2005, IP2IPO Group entered into its sixth long-term partnership with
the University of Bristol. IP2IPO Group will work with the University of Bristol
to help identify and progress commercialisation opportunities as well as invest
an initial £5 million in seed capital in spin-out companies from the University
of Bristol over a five year period in return for equity stakes in those
companies. In return, IP2IPO Group will receive 13.3 per cent of equity spin-out
companies from the University of Bristol at the time that the spin-out company
is established prior to investment. The partnership has a term of 25 years.
In February 2006, IP2IPO Group entered into its seventh long-term partnership
with the University of Surrey. IP2IPO Group will work with the University of
Surrey to help identify and progress commercialisation opportunities as well as
invest an initial fund of up to £5 million in seed capital in spin-out companies
from the University of Surrey in return for equity stakes in those companies. In
addition, IP2IPO Group will receive 13.3% per cent of in spin-out companies at
the time that the company is established prior to investment. The partnership
has a term of 25 years.
In March 2006, IP2IPO Group entered into an exclusive long-term partnership with
the University of York. The partnership is in addition to IP2IPO Group's current
partnership with the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, IP2IPO Group will
work with the University of York to help identify and progress commercialisation
opportunities as well as invest an initial fund of £5 million in seed capital in
spin-out companies from the University of York in return for equity stakes in
those companies. In addition, IP2IPO Group will receive 25% of the equity in any
spin-out company from the University at the time that the company is
established, prior to investment, if IP2IPO Group invests in the company from
the fund and 15% of the equity if it does not invest from the Fund. IP2IPO Group
will also receive 10% of any income which the University of York receives from
licencing during the lifetime of the partnership. The partnership has a term of
25 years.
To date, 6 spin-out companies from the IP2IPO portfolio have listed on the AIM
Market of London Stock Exchange plc: Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc, Synairgen
plc, VASTox plc, Proximagen Neuroscience plc, GETECH Group plc and Syntopix
Group plc. There has been one trade sale: Toumaz Technology Limited was sold to
Nanoscience Inc.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange