University spinouts are a critical driver of innovation and economic growth, transforming academic research into thriving businesses. But identifying these companies, especially at scale, can be challenging.
The Data City’s platform integrates Dealroom data to simplify this process, helping users explore, analyse, and make informed decisions based on accurate spinout information.
In this blog, we will outline how The Data City provides insights into university spinouts and the tools available to access and analyse this valuable data.
What is a university spinout?
A university spinout is a company that emerges from a university’s research, innovation, or intellectual property. These companies are typically created to commercialise academic research and bring innovative technologies, products, or services to the market. Spinouts often serve as a bridge between academic discovery and practical application, enabling universities to extend their impact beyond education and research.
Why university spinout data matters
Spinouts play a vital role in transferring knowledge from universities to the broader economy. These companies are often at the forefront of emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, clean tech, and biotechnology.
For policymakers, investors, and researchers, identifying and tracking spinouts offers a window into innovation trends, regional economic development, and investment opportunities.
The Data City’s approach to university spinouts
Our platform integrates datasets from various sources, including Dealroom, to provide a comprehensive view of spinouts across the UK. Using real-time data and advanced text classification methods, we go beyond basic keyword searches to identify companies that explicitly originate from university research.
Dealroom manually identify spinout companies. We match our data to Dealroom’s and display these companies. We make filtering easy and allow our users to combine it with our existing comprehensive data.
Key features for exploring spinout data
1. Filtering spinouts by sector and location
The Data City platform allows users to narrow down spinout companies based on their industry, geographic location, and even funding history.
For example:
- AI spinouts in the UK: By filtering for AI companies and selecting the spinout tag, users can see which businesses emerged from universities, along with detailed insights such as funding rounds and growth metrics.
- Regional Focus: Identify spinouts in specific areas like Cambridge or Leeds to understand the innovation landscape in those regions.
2. Spinout insights on company pages
Each company page provides details about whether a business is a spinout and, in many cases, the originating university.
- Example: A spinout listed as originating from the University of Oxford will display this information alongside its financial and operational data.
- Funding Data: Users can see funding rounds associated with spinouts, even when monetary values are not disclosed, giving a clearer picture of support networks.
3. Dynamic analysis tools
Using machine learning tools like ML List Builder, users can refine spinout data for deeper insights. This feature is particularly useful for:
- Building custom lists of spinouts based on specific criteria.
- Analysing networks between universities and industries.
- Identifying patterns in funding and growth among spinouts.
Real-world applications
Policymakers
Policy makers may use university spinout data to understand the economic contributions of university spinouts within their region, identify key innovation hubs, and make data-driven decisions to support growth.
Investors
Investors could discover early-stage companies with university backing, offering insights into cutting-edge research commercialisation.
Researchers
Researchers can track trends in university spinouts across disciplines, enabling more comprehensive studies on innovation and regional development.
Try it yourself
University spinouts represent the nexus of academia and industry, driving innovation and creating opportunities across sectors. With The Data City’s platform, accessing and analysing this data is easier and more effective than ever.
Ready to explore university spinouts and unlock new insights? Sign up for a free trial today and see how The Data City can support your research and decision-making.
