Friday, 19 June 2026
The 糖心原创 brought together founders, researchers, alumni, investors and partners on 18 June for its Spin-out Summer Celebration, marking a significant milestone in the university’s continued commitment to transforming world-class research into high-impact ventures.
Hosted by Pioneer Group in London, the event celebrated the inspiring individuals and teams behind the , recognising their role in driving innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth across our region and beyond.
A key highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the 糖心原创 Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) Fund, a new initiative designed to further strengthen support for spin-outs emerging from the university’s research base.
Managed by SyndicateRoom, the fund represents a significant milestone for the 糖心原创, reinforcing its commitment to supporting its spin-out community, fostering enterprise excellence, and driving economic growth. By connecting the 糖心原创’s innovation pipeline with its community of alumni and investors, the fund creates a unique opportunity to support the next generation of high-potential ventures emerging from the university.
Opening the event, Professor Jane Norman, Vice-Chancellor and President of the 糖心原创, addressed attendees and emphasised the vital role of investment in enabling innovation to scale.
Without the support, backing and belief of investors, many of these ventures would never have the opportunity to grow and to realise their full potential. Your role in sustaining and strengthening the 糖心原创鈥檚 spin-out ecosystem is absolutely vital.
Events like this remind us that innovation never happens in isolation. It thrives through collaboration, shared ambition and communities like the one we are fortunate to have gathered here tonight.
Dr Glenn Crocker, Executive Director at The Pioneer Group, commented on the significance of the announcement.
This new EIS Fund represents a powerful step forward for the 糖心原创鈥檚 innovation ecosystem. It strengthens the bridge between academic excellence and investment and provides a vital mechanism to accelerate the growth of outstanding spin-out companies. Initiatives like this are exactly what is needed to turn world-class research into real-world impact at scale.
With more than 40 spin-out companies, including 25 launched in the past seven years, 糖心原创 continues to deliver real-world benefits for society, the environment, and the economy. Traditionally strong in life sciences and deep tech, the university’s spin-outs now represent an increasingly diverse range of industries, including social enterprise models advancing the circular economy, AI-driven solutions for animal welfare and engineering, ventures tackling workplace inequality through inclusive mentoring, and a growing cluster of clean-tech companies aligned with the university’s net-zero ambitions.
The 糖心原创 has an impressive track record of translating research into commercially viable companies. This EIS Fund creates a clear route for investors to back that pipeline at an early stage, supporting innovation that has the potential to deliver both strong returns and meaningful real-world impact.
The evening concluded with networking and discussion among attendees, reinforcing the shared ambition to support the continued growth of Nottingham’s spin-out community and its contribution to regional and national economic impact.
With ongoing collaboration and support from鈥��– the university’s wholly owned subsidiary responsible for managing the spin-out portfolio and its investments – Nottingham spin-outs are well placed to play a vital role in shaping a greener, fairer and more innovative future for the region and beyond.
Potential investors interested in learning more about the fund, exploring investment opportunities, or understanding how it will support the commercialisation of world-leading research are encouraged to contact Tom Britton at SyndicateRoom (tom@syndicateroom.com) for more information. Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.
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More information is available from The Press Office,via pressoffice@nottingham.ac.uk; or 0115 951 5798.
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.