Prof Dan Parsons of Loughborough University
A pioneering programme turning university research into commercial ventures has been shortlisted for the national Knowledge Exchange Awards. VentureVersity, developed in partnership by the University of Leicester, De Montfort University (DMU), and Loughborough University, supports academics in transforming their ideas into viable businesses.
Funded by Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund, the programme provides mentoring, commercial guidance, and access to investors.
Of the 26 initial teams, 11 completed the accelerator, producing five spin-out companies and several projects that progressed through licensing or social enterprise, collectively securing £225,000 in funding. VentureVersity also created a practical toolkit for universities to commercialise intellectual property.
The initiative is part of the Universities Partnership, launched in 2022 to drive regional innovation. Building on its success, VentureVersity is expanding to 15 Midlands universities through the Forging Ahead initiative.
Professor Dan Parsons of Loughborough University noted that the programme demonstrates the impact of regional collaboration on innovation. DMU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Mike Kagioglou, added that VentureVersity demonstrates how universities and businesses can translate research into real-world impact.
Winners of the Knowledge Exchange Awards will be announced on November 27 at The Lowry, Salford.
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