Why do so few university spinouts successfully make the journey from lab to market?
In this episode of Lab to Market Leadership, Chris explores this vital question with Dave Grimm, Partner at Albion Ventures, who has spent the last decade revolutionising the spinout process through a unique partnership with University College London.
Dave reveals how Albion has transformed the traditional university-VC relationship by embedding deeply within UCL’s ecosystem, creating standardised processes that prioritise pace over perfection, and establishing new models for equity distribution that actually work for software companies. The results speak for themselves: successful spinouts like Phasecraft and Oriole Networks, plus a pipeline of breakthrough compute companies.
This conversation offers unprecedented insights into what really works in university spinouts, from setting CEO transition expectations upfront to the vital role of pace in building momentum. Dave also explores the broader challenges facing UK Deep Tech: the scale-up capital gap, the need for ‘unretiring’ successful entrepreneurs, and why government procurement could be the key to creating global champions.
Key Topics Covered:
This episode is essential viewing for university technology transfer officers, Deep Tech founders, investors, and policy makers interested in scaling breakthrough innovations from academic research.
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