How do you manage founder consultancies to their spinouts?

The University’s consulting policy states that staff who are founders or directors of spinouts are required to use OUI’s Consulting Services to manage consultancies to their spin-outs in the first year following its formation.

OUI recognises that innovation activities by staff may be seen by some as a distraction from core academic duties of teaching and research. From 1st August 2020, OUI has introduced a policy intended to provide departments with additional funds and to encourage their engagement and support for the spinout activities of their staff.

OUI will deduct its 10% management charge from founder consultancies to any spinout incorporated on or after 1st August 2020. In the first year of these founder consultancies, OUI will distribute a sum equivalent to the 10% management charge to a cost centre at the department to which the consultant is primarily affiliated. The departmental administrator nominates the cost centre into which these funds are distributed and such payments are accounted by OUI on a quarterly basis. If such founder consultancies are extended into a second or subsequent year through OUI, OUI will continue to deduct its 10% management charge (as normal) but distribute a sum equal to half that management charge to the nominated departmental cost centre for the duration of each founder consultancy.