Following the University of Auckland’s recent review of its research and commercialisation functions, the University’s commercialisation company Auckland UniServices Limited has strengthened its support for developing IP and start-up companies and has relaunched its technology development function as UniServices Commercialisation. The unit within UniServices will have a greater emphasis on venture creation and entrepreneur support, Bringing Ideas to Life.

This includes bridging the gap between a developed technology or start up leaving the university and the point at where it all begins – the start of an aspiring innovators entrepreneurial journey. One of the core ways that UniServices Commercialisation identifies and invests in future research commercialisation stars is through its partnership with the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Will Charles, Executive Director of Commercialisation at UniServices says “through the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s programmes, UniServices have been able to identify and partner with incredible talent. Some of our most successful ventures such as Power by Proxi had their beginnings with young and earnest students participating in the Centre’s Velocity programme and then being supported through UniServices to become established venturists. We’re proud to continue our close partnership with the Centre in 2018”

UniServices support includes mentoring, judging and being a contributing sponsor of the Centre’s Velocity student entrepreneurship programme, access to commercialisation workshops and provision of content for the Centre’s Master of Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship programme. It also includes access to the $20 million evergreen University of Auckland Inventors Fund and to Return on Science’s five specialist world-leading investment committees, all of which are administered by UniServices Commercialisation.

Wendy Kerr, Director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship says “As the participation in the Centres programmes continues to grow, and ideas are more fully formed, we are fortunate to be able to access the resources of UniServices Commercialisation. We have already seen the impact of our partnership bear fruit for new ventures”