Univ. of York Partnership
IP2IPO Group PLC
13 March 2006
For immediate release 13th March 2006
IP2IPO GROUP PLC
25 YEAR UNIVERSITY-WIDE PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE UNIVERSITY OF YORK
IP2IPO Group plc (AIM: IPO) ('IP2IPO'), the intellectual property
commercialisation company, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an
exclusive long-term partnership with the University of York. The partnership is
in addition to IP2IPO's current partnership with the Centre for Novel
Agricultural Products, a flagship research centre that specialises in plant and
microbial gene discovery.
The University of York was founded in 1963 and now has 10,700 students and 3,000
staff with more than 30 academic departments and research centres. It has been
ranked in the top ten of UK universities in a number of university league tables
and 18 departments received a 5 or 5* rating in the most recent Research
Assessment Exercise, including the departments of Computer Science, Biology,
Chemistry and Mathematics
Under the terms of the partnership, IP2IPO has agreed to work with the
University of York to identify and facilitate the formation of spin-out
companies from across the University and to invest an initial fund of £5 million
in such companies in return for equity stakes in them. In addition, IP2IPO 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 invests in
the company from the fund and 15% of the equity if it does not invest from the
Fund. IP2IPO will also receive 10% of any income which York receives from
licencing during the lifetime of the partnership. The partnership has a term of
25 years.
Alan Aubrey, Chief Executive of IP2IPO, commented: 'We are very pleased to be
entering into this wider partnership with the University of York. We have
developed an excellent working relationship at all levels within the University
over the last two and a half years and we believe that the quality of research
together with the entrepreneurial spirit at York provide the potential for us to
create an exciting portfolio of spin-out companies and to generate further value
through licensing.'
Professor Brian Cantor, Vice-Chancellor of the University of York, said: 'I
welcome this broadening of the University relationship with IP2IPO. It will
complement our world-class research and enable us to create new knowledge-based
businesses for the benefit of the University and the economy, locally,
regionally and nationally.'
For more information please contact:
IP2IPO 020 7489 5200
Alan Aubrey, Chief Executive Officer
Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000
Tim Anderson, Mark Court, Mary-Jane Johnson
University of York 01904 432153
David Garner, University of York
Notes for editors
IP2IPO 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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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's focus on making early stage venture capital investments.
In January 2005, IP2IPO 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 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 entered into its sixth long-term partnership with the
University of Bristol. IP2IPO 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 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 entered into its seventh long-term partnership with the
University of Surrey. IP2IPO 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 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.
To date, 5 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 and GETECH Group plc. There has
been one trade sale: Toumaz Technology Limited was sold to Nanoscience Inc.
This information is provided by RNS
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