IP2IPO Group PLC
10 August 2004
For immediate release 10 August 2004
IP2IPO Group plc
Graham Richards to become Non-Executive Chairman
of the Company
IP2IPO Group plc ('IP2IPO' or the 'Company') (AIM: IPO), the intellectual
property company that commercializes university technology, announces that
Professor Graham Richards, Non-executive Director, is to become Non-executive
Chairman of the Company with immediate effect. Dr Bruce Smith, who today stepped
down as Non-executive Chairman for family reasons, will remain a Non-executive
Director.
Professor Richards became a director of IP2IPO in 2001 and is one of the leading
chemists in the UK, with over 350 publications to his name. He has served as
Chairman of the Department of Chemistry at Oxford University since 1997. In this
role, he has overseen the flourishing partnership between IP2IPO and the
Chemistry Department, which led last year to the opening of Oxford's new state
of the art Chemistry Research Laboratory by HM The Queen. Throughout his career,
Professor Richards has been involved in the commercialization of technology. In
1989 he co-founded Oxford Molecular Limited, which later floated on the London
Stock Exchange as Oxford Molecular Group plc. He is a director of Isis
Innovation Limited, the University of Oxford's technology transfer company and
was involved for several years with The Wellcome Trust in a similar capacity. In
2001 he founded Inhibox Limited, a spin-out company from the Chemistry
Department in which IP2IPO has an interest.
The Board is extremely pleased that Dr Smith has decided to remain a
Non-executive Director of the Company and would like to record its thanks for
the immense contribution that Dr Smith has made to IP2IPO. Dr Smith has helped
steer the Company through its formative years and its listing on the Alternative
Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange and throughout that time he has
been a constant source of counsel and support.
For more information please contact:
IP2IPO
David Norwood, Chief Executive Officer 020 7242 9900
Buchanan Communications
Mark Court, Mary-Jane Johnson 020 7466 5000
Notes to editors
IP2IPO
IP2IPO is an intellectual property (IP) company that specialises in
commercialising university technology. The Company was founded in 2001 and
listed on AIM in October 2003.
IP2IPO's first partnership was with the University of Oxford. In return for an
investment of £20 million, IP2IPO 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 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 entered into a second long-term partnership with the
University of Southampton. Under the terms of this partnership, IP2IPO 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 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 future spin-out companies. The partnership has
a term of at least 25 years.
IP2IPO entered into its third long-term partnership in May 2003 with King's
College London. IP2IPO will work 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 will
receive 20 per cent of King's College London's equity in spin-out companies and
technology licenses. The partnership has an initial term of 25 years.
In October 2003, IP2IPO 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 has
committed to invest £1.15m in Amaethon Limited in return for a one third 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 July 2004, IP2IPO acquired a strategic 20% stake in Techtran Group Limited
('Techtran'). Techtran has a long-term technology commercialisation contract
with the University of Leeds. Under the terms of the contract Techtran receives
a significant (30%) interest in spin-out companies created and technology
licences negotiated in return for the provision of technology transfer services
to the University.
In June 2004, IP2IPO acquired Top Technology Ventures Limited, an investment
adviser to early stage technology funds. This combines IP2IPO's expertise in the
creation of new ventures based on world leading university IP with Top
Technology focus on making early stage venture capital investments.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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