QUBIS Ltd was established in 1984 by Queen’s University Belfast to commercialise the University’s research and development activities through the formation of ‘spin-out’ businesses.
The University through QUBIS Ltd, takes an equity holding in a new spin-out venture in return for an investment of cash and/or Intellectual Property. Our major aim is to ‘pull through’ appropriate R&D from the laboratory into the commercial market place.
QUBIS Ltd proactively seeks to identify and evaluate commercially exploitable research and resources from Queen’s University. Management and partners, who have appropriate skills and access to the market place, are then sought. All new ventures are market led and only those with strong feedback from the market place are actually undertaken. Our experience has shown that the support of a private or trade investor, particularly one who brings access to markets, e.g. having an established distribution system or presence in a relevant market, is especially desirable.
The immediate objective of QUBIS Ltd as a holding company, is to establish an ongoing stream of dividend, or other income, from its investments. We are patient investors and all of our investments are undertaken for the medium to long term, we do not look for an early exit.
Current Board
Mr James O'Kane (Chairman)
Registrar and Chief Operating Officer, Queen's University Belfast
Mr Brian McCaul (CEO)
Director of Innovation, Queen's University Belfast
Mr Colin Reid
Former Chief Executive, Consilium Technologies
Dame Rotha Johnston DBE
Chair NI Screen
Professor James McElnay
Acting President and Vice Chancellor, Queen's University Belfast
Mr Des Speed
Former CEO, PathXL Ltd
Dr Aislinn Rice
Former Head of Function & Executive Board Member, Andor Technology plc
Ms Helen Kirkpatrick MBE
Former Interim Chair UTV plc
People build Businesses
Prof. Sheena Lewis
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