EVENTS

What has actually changed in the spin-out and investment landscape – and what still needs to happen to turn recommendations into reality?

Five months on from UKRI’s Deepening University–Investor Links, authored by Tony Hickson, this one-hour Innovation Insights session will explore what has changed in the spin-out and investment landscape, what still needs to happen, and how we can turn the review’s recommendations into sustained, inclusive growth.

Join SETsquared’s Executive Director, Rosie Bennett, in conversation with Tony Hickson, Chief Business Officer at Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Horizons, and Anne Dobrée, Investment Director at Parkwalk Advisors, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing university spin-outs and the wider innovation ecosystem.

The session will focus on:

• Closing capital gaps for university-linked ventures at pre-seed, seed and scale-up stages
• Changing behaviours and relationships between universities and investors
• Building regional ecosystems with the capital, talent and infrastructure to support spin-outs at scale

Agenda

• 12:00 – 12:05 Welcome and session introduction
• 12:05 – 12:50 Spin-outs and investment: From recommendations to reality: six months from the Spin-out Review with Tony Hickson and Anne Dobrée
• 12:50 – 13:00 Q&A and closing remarks

Meet the speakers

Rosie Bennett, Executive Director, SETsquared Partnership

Rosie Bennett leads the Partnership to deliver the SETsquared innovation and commercialisation mission, and to advance its deep tech start-up and spin-out investment vehicle with QantX. She supports existing collaborations and programmes across universities, investors and industry, while seeking new conversations and initiatives to help emerging ventures scale and succeed.

 

 

 

Tony Hickson, Chief Business Officer, Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Horizons

Tony Hickson is the Chief Business Officer for Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Horizons. He leads the Commercial Partnerships team responsible for the commercialisation of IP from CRUK-funded projects, new start-up creation, licences and corporate alliances. Prior to this, Tony was the Managing Director of Imperial Innovations Ltd, responsible for intellectual property sourcing, licensing and spin-out creation for technologies arising from Imperial College London. During this tenure, Tony also spent 5 years as an executive director on the board of Touchstone Innovations PLC, an investment company listed on the London Stock Exchange investing in deep science projects from UK universities. Prior to joining Imperial Innovations/Touchstone, Tony acquired 15 years of commercial and business development experience in bioscience companies including Wellcome Group R&D, Murex Biotech, Abbott Laboratories and Kalibrant Limited.

 

Anne Dobrée, Investment Director, Parkwalk Advisors

Anne joined Parkwalk in 2024 and has been supporting university spin-outs and start-ups since 2001, working in various technology commercialisation roles at Imperial College and the University of Cambridge. Anne formerly led the growth of the University of Cambridge’s Seed Funds team for 15 years, including establishing the first University EIS fund with Parkwalk and spinning out Cambridge Innovation Capital. Anne has served on multiple early-stage boards across all technology sectors. Most recently, Anne established the accelerator Founders at the University of Cambridge to support founders at seed stage. Anne holds a BSc in Medical Microbiology and a PhD in Immunology.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from leading voices across the university, investment and innovation ecosystem and explore what it will take to turn recommendations on spin-outs and investment into meaningful action and sustained growth.

Register your spot now