OUI Executive Chair's Foreword

Oxford University Innovation’s leadership in a changing world

Baroness Nicola Blackwood,
Chair of Oxford University Innovation

As the world confronts increasingly complex challenges – climate change, public health crises, and technological disruptions – our ability to innovate at speed and scale has never been more critical.

Over the past year, Oxford University Innovation (OUI) has continued to play a pivotal role in transforming groundbreaking research into tangible economic and societal benefits, strengthening our global reputation as a leader in innovation.

In this second impact report, we highlight our progress in developing companies to advance the frontiers of science, technology, and social venture expertise, as well as outlining the reach of our licensing and consulting services portfolios.

The 2024 Beauhurst Spotlight on Spinouts report reaffirms the University of Oxford’s position as the U.K. leader in university spinouts. This success is testament not only to the university’s prolific research output but also to the strategic vision and leadership of the Vice Chancellor Irene Tracey and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation, Professor Chas Bountra, who together work with the OUI team to drive our vibrant innovation ecosystem.

A key step for Oxford University Innovation (OUI) in recent months has been the appointment of Dr Mairi Gibbs as CEO. Mairi brings a wealth of experience in driving innovation and will be instrumental in shaping OUI’s strategic direction together with recently appointed COO, Jaci Barnett.

The past year has seen the launch of many potentially world class companies, such as MatchBio, an Oxford University spinout that launched in January 2024 with a £4.5m investment to pioneer advancements in immunotherapy to fight cancer. In addition to our leadership in spinouts, OUI has been instrumental in securing agreements that extend the reach of our research. The new licensing agreement between Oxford University and Apollo Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company with a strong portfolio, is designed to accelerate the commercialisation of Oxford’s biomedical research by developing new therapies at pace. We’ve also seen the first deliveries of Oxford’s R21 / Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine in Africa, a licensing deal which the OUI team negotiated with the Serum Institute of India.

Oxford’s companies are not just being created, they are also becoming attractive acquisition targets for global industry leaders. Samsung Electronics acquired Oxford Semantic Technologies, a specialist in cutting-edge knowledge graph and reasoning technology, while Oxford start-up Onfido was purchased by Entrust Corp.

Alongside economic successes, our consultancies, licensees and companies have achieved a vast range of societal and environmental impact. A few case studies are highlighted in our external impact section: Omron’s blood pressure monitoring programme, Greater Change’s financial support for homeless individuals and Mixergy’s hot water tanks, saving families money and improving the efficiency of the national grid.

As we look ahead, Oxford University Innovation remains committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture of entrepreneurship, innovation and collaboration that bridges the gap between academia and industry. With new leadership at the helm, OUI is poised to maintain its leadership in the innovation landscape and to shape the future of global research and development for many years to come.

Baroness Nicola Blackwood, Executive Chair, Oxford University Innovation

“Oxford’s spinouts are not just being created, they are also becoming attractive acquisition targets for global industry leaders.”