Is a new company right for me?
Ready to turn your idea into a company? Learn what makes a successful venture, explore alternatives, and find the guidance you need to take the next step.
Find the right route
There are several ways for your work to make an impact, including creating a company. We support two different types: spinouts and startups.
Whether your venture is a spinout or a startup is affected by who owns the intellectual property (IP), how equity is shared, and what support is available.
Mission-led companies
Some of our spinouts and startups are mission-led companies, balancing profitability with a clear commitment to positive social, environmental or cultural change.
Their purpose is built into their legal structures, ensuring the board makes decisions that stay true to the mission. The more profit these companies make, the more they can re-invest in their work, whether partnering with charities, providing products for free, or running programmes for their target beneficiary.
While profit-led businesses can also generate positive impact, what sets mission-led companies apart is the intentionality and long-term commitment that guides everything they do.
Ingredients for a successful company
Creating a company can be exciting, rewarding and hugely impactful, but it also requires preparation and commitment. Before you get started, consider whether you and your potential team can confidently answer these questions:
- What is the problem you’re trying to solve? Who is the product or service for, and why does it matter?
- How will it work? How will it be developed, delivered and taken to market?
- What resources are needed? Perhaps funding, skills, facilities or specialist support – many of which will sit outside the University
- Who is involved? Which co-founders, advisors or early hires are essential?
Alternatives to creating a company
Not all ideas are best developed through a brand-new company.
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Depending on the nature of the idea and the readiness of external organisations to adopt it, licensing your work to an existing company could be a more effective route.
The right licensee can bring sector expertise, development capability and market access, helping to de-risk the IP and accelerate its path to impact. Licensing enables the University to retain ownership of the IP, helping to generate shared royalty income that can be reinvested into future innovation at Oxford.
We’ll work with you to understand the opportunity, the market, and your own preferences and goals to decide the right route for you.
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If you think your knowledge could benefit an external organisation – like a company, government department or public sector body – then we can help you connect with those looking for your expertise.
Your readiness checklist
You may be ready to explore a new company if you can answer yes to most of the following:
- Do you have a clear idea of the problem your idea solves and who it helps?
- Have you spoken to OUI about your idea and the available routes?
- Are you willing and able to invest time in developing a business concept?
- Do you have, or can you build, a motivated founding team?
- Are you open to learning about areas outside your academic expertise, such as finance, intellectual property, marketing or operations?
- Are you comfortable navigating uncertainty and potential setbacks?
- Have you considered your ongoing role at the University and what approvals you may need?
- Are you ready to speak with potential investors, partners or licensees?
- Do you understand the resource and funding needs for early-stage development?
- Are you excited by the possibility of building something new, even if the outcome isn’t guaranteed?
Take the next step
Whether you’re thinking about forming a company or exploring other ways to create impact, we have resources to help.
