UK first for university in intellectual property scheme

Thursday 10 March 2011

The government’s UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has given funding for the scheme called the South East IP Bank (SEIPB).  This concept was originated by the University of Surrey and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in partnership with three other universities in the South East region, Reading, Royal Holloway, and Sussex.  It will help academics at the universities and scientists at NPL to develop more effective routes to market for their research.

SEIPB is the UK's first intellectual property collaboration based on a pool of IP held in a shared, cloud-based database using well established third party software system which has already been successfully used in the USA. The project will create a strong regional partnership and breaks down the barriers that have typically meant that research institutions store their IP on separate, isolated databases.

The project will allow partners to upload information about their specialist expertise to a common area, making this information more accessible to businesses.

It will include:

•The establishment of close working relationships and shared regional identity between the institutions’ technology transfer offices.
•Developing common methodologies for identifying patent families as well as joint marketing and fundraising activities.
•Sourcing pre-investment applied research or proof of concept funding to ensure that potential inventions are directed at an early stage toward high impact commercial or societal benefit.

SEIPB marks a beginning for intensified collaboration between UK Public Sector Research Establishments and universities to develop more effective routes to market for their research and provides a model that would be easy for other research institutions to replicate.

The combination of a simple, proven Inteum web platform together with cost efficiencies gained through shared services and the potential for raising angel investment make SEIPB a highly sustainable model and one that can be expanded further on a regional basis.

The SEIPB partners are committed to sharing information with other UK research institutions who may be interested in establishing similar collaborations in their regions.

Keith Robson, Research and Enterprise Director at the University of Surrey, comments: “I was delighted to accept this award on behalf of the IP Bank partnership. The involvement of one of the UK’s top Public Sector Research Establishments, the National Physical Laboratory and four high quality research universities make this a unique collaboration, but the model we are developing can be used by any group of research institutions in the UK who are keen to join forces on intellectual property.”

Media Enquiries

Peter La, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 689191, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk