EBE selected as lead evaluator for University of Leicester VentureVersity Project

A partnership involving Leicester StartUps CiC and EBE has successfully bid to deliver and evaluate an innovative programme designed to accelerate academic research and IP through to commercial propositions. EBE will conduct a longitudinal evaluation of the project and produce a project toolkit for use elsewhere in the UK.

VentureVersity is funded through Research England and will deliver a pioneering approach to creating new products, services and business from university ideas. The three Universities of Leicestershire are amongst a small number of projects to be selected by Research England to deliver on novel approaches to commercialise their research Connecting capability fund – UKRI .

VentureVersity will create new accelerated pathways for university Intellectual property and ideas. The University of Leicester, Loughborough University and De Montfort will share IP and ideas with a community of businesses, graduates and students adopting an open innovation approach to sharing, testing, and developing business concepts. The target is to deliver novel products, services and businesses and energise the innovation culture of the city and county. The project will build connections with businesses and create opportunities for students to deploy and develop skills, build experience and catalyse enterprise.