Times Higher Education

A technology transfer expert and biotech spin-out founder explain the steps involved in moving discoveries from the lab to the market. Most academics want their work to have an impact and one route to achieving this is by commercialising their findings. By partnering with an existing company to bring a product to market or by establishing a new spin-out enterprise, scholars can develop technologies, products and solutions that can revolutionise whole sectors, whether in healthcare, construction, farming and more. But this is a far from easy or simple process requiring tenacity, adaptability, collaboration and high level problem solving. For this week’s podcast, we speak to two people with extensive experience in what it takes to commercialise research and become an academic entrepreneur. Mairi Gibbs is CEO of Oxford University Innovation – the university’s technology transfer unit - where she has worked since 2002. With extensive practical experience in partnership management, formation of spinout companies,