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What financial help can I get to develop my idea?
UCL researchers have access to a number of translational funding sources that can help you develop and commercialise your technology. To apply for any of the funds, contact your business manager, who can advise you on the application process.
Find your Business ManagerFunds internal to UCL
UCL Innovation & Enterprise (I&E) and the Translational Research Office (TRO) provide access to grants which support activities that can help you prepare your research for downstream commercialisation. Calls for proposals are made throughout the academic year.
Funds available via UCLB
Commercial Proof of Concept (POC) Funding
Funds to support the pre-commercial evaluation and development of UCL IP or technologies that have commercial promise but do not meet the investment criteria of the UCL Technology Fund or Apollo Therapeutics.
Awards will be up to a maximum of £75k with projects typically having a 6-9 month timeline.
Social Ventures Proof of Concept (POC) Fund
The Social Ventures POC Fund provides funding and support for UCL researchers who want to commercialise their research for societal benefit. Focus areas include new learning approaches using technology, resources to improve wellbeing, management of long-term conditions, social issues that can be addressed by artificial intelligence and data, security and crime science, and online access to services for underserved populations. It offers:
- Up to £20,000 in funding for emerging social ventures arising from UCL research
- Access to business planning support, and IP advice.
For more information about the Social Ventures POC Fund, contact Ana Lemmo Charnalia.
UCLB Seed Investments
Not every spinout company opportunity is suitable for venture capital investment. Following some successful recent exits, UCLB is now able to make seed investments into promising UCL spinout companies that fall outside of the investment criteria for the UCL Technology Fund.
We anticipate making initial investments of up to £250k alongside external investors such as business angel syndicates and other high net worth individuals.
UCL Technology Fund
The UCL Technology Fund (UCLTF) is an early-stage technology investment fund managed by AlbionVC in collaboration with UCLB. It invests in intellectual property (IP) commercialisation opportunities arising from UCL’s world-class research base, predominantly in the engineering and life science areas, that have the potential to generate outstanding societal and market impact with resultant financial returns. Three types of opportunity can be supported:
- Proof of Concept Projects – Funds to support the pre-commercial evaluation and development of UCL IP or technology. Awards will be up to a maximum of £200k with projects typically having a 6-9 month timeline.
- Developmental Funding into Therapeutic Licensing Projects – Providing funding of between £500k and £2m to enable UCL project teams to complete pre-clinical work in respect of a promising therapeutic asset.
- Spinout Companies – Equity investment at Seed and Series A with the potential to invest up to £5m in an opportunity typically via multiple funding rounds.
Apollo Therapeutics
Apollo Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company, rapidly advancing a robust pipeline of potentially transformative therapeutic programmes based on breakthrough discoveries. They identify and develop pre-clinical and clinical stage assets with strong biological hypotheses and the potential to become meaningful new treatment options. The team combines ‘drug hunters’ and deep subject matter experts who together are building an expansive and de-risked portfolio in oncology, major inflammatory disorders, and rare diseases. Backed by leading specialist investors including Patient Square Capital and Rock Springs Capital, it has operations in Cambridge, UK, and Boston, USA. Apollo Therapeutics has core innovation sourcing and drug discovery collaborations with five of the world’s leading universities: University of Cambridge, University College London, Imperial College London, Kings College London and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR). With its university partners, Apollo has built translational leadership in three core areas of biological focus – immunology, cell signalling, and cell stress responses and metabolism.