¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Innovation Spine
University spinouts and technology-rich start-up companies can be a major contributor to growth in ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ through the creation of skilled, high-income jobs and the creation of innovative products. Through the South Yorkshire Investment Zone we have the opportunity to realise this potential.
What is the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Innovation Spine?
Founders, investors and local stakeholders all share a desire to grow businesses in ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ, but a lack of suitable clustering, incubation and scale-up space for deep-tech/med-tech/life-science companies is holding them back.
The ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Innovation Spine is a long-term spatial and economic strategy to create and link the infrastructure required to grow knowledge-led businesses in the city centre. The Spine forms a natural route from ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Station and ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Hallam University's City campus heading north to ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Digital Campus, Castlegate, Riverside, West Bar Square, Tenter Street and West Bar through to the University of ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ's main campus.
The South Yorkshire Investment Zone status allows us to bring this vision to life and seek the inward investment required to link up the University of ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ's spinout pipeline growth with the growth of technology-rich start-ups in the city. Key existing incubation space at ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Technology Parks and laboratory facilities at both University campuses will also be linked to the spine; further concentrating intellectual property rich businesses into the city centre driving economic growth and job creation.
¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Technology Parks, ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ City Council, ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ, ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Hallam University and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority have initiated a project to develop and launch a prospectus for the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Innovation Spine which will incorporate innovation spaces such as laboratories and specialist facilities, alongside housing, public realm and economic development activity.
A Project Director has been appointed to realise this opportunity and drive this prospectus forward over the next two years. For more details, please contact: participate@sheffieldinnovationspine.com.
The University’s track record
¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ has steadily increased resources for establishing high-value spinout companies over the last five years and has been recognised as one of the best universities in the country for developing IP and commercialising research.
Since 2017, the University has established 23 new businesses - ranging from advanced medical companies such as Rinri Therapeutics to 4th generation Artificial Intelligence developers such as Opteran.
Together with the expansion of support through the University's Commercialisation Journey, the creation of a £1M annual investment budget and the establishment of Northern Gritstone, there is a dramatic step-change in the number of scalable spinouts launching from the University and raising private Investment.
Contact
Spinouts: commercialisationteam@sheffield.ac.uk
Media: mediateam@sheffield.ac.uk