EVENTS

Collaborating for commercialisation success

Hosted by SETsquared Partnership 

Date & time: 21 May 2025, arrivals from 14.45, prompt start 15:30 – 18:30.
Venue: One Moorgate Place, London EC2R 6EA  

Unlocking the power of collaboration in commercialisation 

In response to the recommendations from the Independent Review of University Spin-out Companies, we invite you to join us for an afternoon of insightful discussions, expert-led panels, and valuable networking opportunities – all designed to build connections that will accelerate commercialisation success. 

This event brings together key players from universities, the investment community, and other key stakeholders to explore how stronger collaboration can drive innovation to market more effectively and efficiently. 

Featuring a thought-provoking keynote, dynamic panel discussions, and the exclusive first release of the Deal Readiness Toolkit, the event will provide actionable insights on strengthening university-investor relations, increasing the pace of deal-making, and navigating the evolving commercialisation landscape. 

Our pilot programme has begun to create the Deal Readiness Toolkit, a practical resource designed to complement the USIT Guides. The toolkit’s first release includes how-to guides, standardised legal templates, and checklists aimed at streamlining and standardising the research commercialisation process, making it faster and more efficient for everyone involved.

Come along and find out more.  

Provisional agenda 

● 14:45 – Arrivals, registration and refreshments

● 15:30 – 15:40 – Welcome and opening

• Diana Galpin, Director of Enterprise & KE, University of Southampton

● 15:40 – 16:00 – Keynote: State of the commercialisation nation: Spin-outs, investment and challenges

• Stuart Wilkinson, CEO, Knowledge Exchange UK

● 16:00 – 16:30 – Panel session one: Building university-investor relations

• Chair: Professor Michele Barbour, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor: Enterprise and Innovation, University of Bristol
• Panel members: Andrew Wilson, Head of Commercialisation, University of Bristol, Sakura Holloway, Investment Director, Future Planet Capital and Dr Geeta Nathan, Deputy Director of Start-up Ecosystem, Innovate UK

● 16:30 – 17:00 – Panel session two: Increasing the pace of deal-making

• Chair: Paul Devlin, Head of Research Commercialisation and Impact, Cardiff University
• Panel members: Dr Louise Farrand, Head of IP and Commercialisation, University of Portsmouth, Claire Pardo, General Counsel, Parkwalk Advisors Ltd, Simon Kerry, Chief Executive Officer, Curve Therapeutics and Professor Rob Maunder, Founder and CTO – AccelerComm, Professor – University of Southampton

● 17:00 – 17:10 – First release: Deal Readiness Toolkit

• Andrew Wilson, RTTP, Head of Commercialisation, University of Bristol and David Woolley, Head of Tech Transfer and Intellectual Property, University of Southampton

● 17:10 – 17:20 – Looking to the future

• Louise Wall, Head of Knowledge Exchange Strategic Projects and Partnerships, Research England
• Marty Reid, Executive Director, SETsquared Partnership

● 17:20 – 17:30 – Closing remarks

• Diana Galpin, Director of Enterprise & KE, University of Southampton

● 17:30 – 18:30 – Drinks reception and networking