The SETsquared Partnership
The SETsquared Partnership consists of five leading UK research universities - Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey. Between them, the 7,400 academics working at these universities are responsible for ten per cent of the UK's Higher Education research budget. The Partnership supports the growth and success of new business opportunities through spin-outs, licensing and incubation. It also works with industry through research collaboration and consultancy.
The SETsquared Partnership develops new businesses from university research ('spin-outs') and supports early-stage, technology companies with high growth potential from the wider business community.
The Partnership also provides access to UK and US markets through international collaboration.
The Evolution of SETsquared
The development of the SETsquared Partnership has been catalysed and funded through a range of Government programmes.
1999 - University Challenge Fund
A bid led by Bath to establish the Sulis Seedcorn fund with Bristol to invest in spin-out companies. The Fund was extended in 2001 to bring Southampton into the limited partnership, raising the Fund to £9m (Surrey is part of the Cascade Seed Fund consortium).
2001 - Science Enterprise Challenge
A second round Wessex Enterprise Centre bid with Southampton and Bath, led by Bristol. The bid value was £2.85m.
2002 - Higher Education Innovation Fund - HEIF 1
A £5m bid led by Southampton to establish SETsquared (incubation) with Bath, Bristol and Surrey.
2004 - HEIF 2
A successful collaborative bid secured £13m - integrating all HEIF activity under the SETsquared Partnership banner.
2006 - DTI Science Bridges programme
SETsquared Partnership was awarded £1.5m for a programme to support applied research and US market access with Southern California.
2006 & 2008 - HEIF 3 & HEIF 4
Under the institutional HEIF 3 & 4 programmes, partner universities continue to support the enterprise activities of the Partnership.
2011 - HEIF 5
Exeter join the Partnership in March.
Partner Universities agree to fund another 4 years of delivering successful collaborative activities.
