First UK-wide register of university spin-outs published
10 Jun 2025
The first national register has been published of the UK’s university spin-outs, providing comparative data on the market.
It has been developed by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) together with the University Commercialisation and Innovation Policy Unit (UCI-University of Cambridge) and Research England.
In 2023/24 alone, the sector drew around £4.5 billion in external investment to companies launched from a wide range of the country’s higher education institutions.
National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) chief executive Dr Joe Marshall described the move as “a crucial step forward” for the UK’s innovation system.
“Spin-outs play a vital role in transforming cutting-edge research into real world applications,” he said.
“As the UK strives to be a world leader in science and innovation, university spin-outs are not only commercialising ideas — they’re building high-value companies, creating skilled jobs, and fuelling economic growth and societal progress.”
Three universities – Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London – continue to dominate the spin-out sector.
In 2023 they were the source of 205, 145 and 108 respectively. Increasingly, though, rival universities have increased their output.
Among the leading players are Manchester (84 in 2023), Edinburgh (60), Queen’s Belfast (52), Swansea (48), Strathclyde (45) Nottingham (37) and Leeds (36).
"For too long the lack of information on university spinouts has caused myths and misconceptions which have often led to unsubstantiated comparisons within and beyond the UK,” said Marshall.
Pic: thisisengineering
