QUBIS

Idea Generation and Invention

We’ll start by protecting your intellectual property (IP). We’ll help you to complete an official Innovation Disclosure Form, capturing your inventive step and those who have contributed to it. The proportions will impact on the share of any future commercial return from a spin–out or licensing.

You’ll also check out your competition. Who are the existing players? What patents have already been granted? How could your technology achieve a unique competitive edge?

We’ll offer you a small amount of Proof of Principle (PoP) funding to help move your proposition towards a commercial goal.

Technical Development and Proof of Concept

Next, we’ll help you to identify and apply for proof of concept (PoC) funding. This will help finance the further technological development that your commercial idea is likely to need.

See our Funding Commons website, which outlines the various forms of funding available at certain points along the commercialisation journey

Team Formation and Execution

We’ll help you to pick the right team to nurture your spin–out to success, comprising:

• The Entrepreneur – ideally with relevant domain knowledge and growth company experience, who will likely become an equity holder in the spin–out
• The Principal Investigator – who leads the research study
• An Early–Career Researcher
• A QUBIS team member – typically taking a Board position on the new spin–out to bring skills and experience from across our portfolio to your decision–making process.

We’ll also introduce you to excellent local business support services as and when required, including:

• business and enterprise training and development providers;
• corporate secretary support – from accountancy and legal to share register and IP.

Validation and Customer Discovery

This is a central tenet of our approach, helping you to focus on the market rather than the technology. We use “lean start up methodology” which aims to minimise risk and rapidly assess the viability and scale of your commercial opportunity.

Funding and Growth

Since our spin–outs typically don’t generate revenues from day one, and we don’t want to saddle you with debt, we’ll help you to find financial support via grants and/or equity. For example:

• we’ll use our contacts and experience to help you structure grant applications to maximise your chances of success;
• we’ll connect you with Venture Capital funds and talk you through the pros and cons of venture investment to help you make an informed decision;
• we can offer you our own financial support through multiple investment rounds (while we don’t lead funding rounds, the fact that your long–standing institutional shareholder is prepared to follow its money is a reassuring signal that many new investors will be looking for).