Oxford University Innovation to host leading global investors and spinouts at Deep Tech Investor Day
25th June 2024
Oxford University Innovation (OUI) will welcome more than 50 investors today for the first ever Deep Tech focused showcase day in Oxford to connect them with spinout companies seeking investment and partnership.
OUI will host venture capitalists and corporate investors, mainly from the US and UK with interests in sectors including AI, robotics, Quantum, Clean Tech, Computing and Photonics.
Existing and potential local and international investors include Mubadala Capital, IP Group, SOSV, Oxford Science Enterprises and many more.
The showcase will also give Oxford’s spinouts a chance to network with other companies in the wider regional ecosystem.
The event will be hosted on two sites – Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, a 700-acre site in Oxfordshire, where more than 240 organisations and 6,000 staff work across multiple sectors including energy, space, health and quantum computing, and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School.
Guests will be introduced to a host of Oxford’s spinout companies, including AI-driven health tech company Brainomix, and Brill Power who are making transformational advances in battery life, performance and sustainability for electric vehicles.
Guests will also be given a 90-minute walking tour of the University of Oxford’s colleges and world-famous Dreaming Spires.
OUI hopes the US investors, who will spend several days in the UK, will see for themselves the competitive advantage of the Oxfordshire ecosystem, as well as the expertise and potential of individual companies seeking investment to scale-up.
Oxford University Innovation’s new chief executive, Dr. Mairi Gibbs, hopes the event will unlock vital funds for Oxford’s innovation ecosystem, enabling the brightest and best ideas to reach the market and helping existing companies thrive in the region.
Dr Gibbs said:
“The solutions to some of the most pressing societal problems – from mitigating climate change to curing deadly diseases – are rooted in pioneering university research, and we’re extremely excited to host Deep Tech investors here today.
“We have some of the world’s most advanced Deep Tech companies, leading the way in AI, Clean Tech, and Computing, including quantum computing.
“We’ve designed an itinerary to highlight the exceptional talent, scientific excellence and significant commercial potential within our unique innovation ecosystem. With the right levels of decisive and large-scale investment, we can create companies that will continue to grow in the region, creating opportunities for jobs and further investment back into the university’s teaching and research. However, our ambitions extend beyond local impact; we aim for our companies to compete in global markets and help position the UK as a global centre of innovation excellence.
“We have more than 300 companies founded here in Oxford, and we want our investor showcase day to celebrate our partnerships and the opportunities within our Deep Tech community.”
Alun Williams, Investment Director, Parkwalk, an IP Group plc company, one of the investors attending, said:
Press release sign up“We’re the UK’s most active investor in university spinouts, including through our university enterprise investment funds. We see fantastic opportunities to partner with other global investors to fund and grow world class Deep Tech companies born out of incredible scientific and technological discoveries made at the University of Oxford.”
