UKSPA - Breakthrough Issue 6

Page 74

Trends

Quantitive and qualitative analysis of the innovation ecosystem SETsquared has been ranked by UBI Global as the World’s ‘Top Business Incubator – Managed by a University’ since 2015

From Incubation to Impact Mighty oaks from little acorns grow

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ince 2002, SETsquared, the global no. 1 business incubator comprising five researchintensive universities: Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey, has gone from strength to strength. Our aim is to turn innovation into thriving business and drive economic growth within our regions and the UK. We offer bespoke support to entrepreneurs whatever stage they are at; from student entrepreneurs through to start-up business incubation and scale-up support for rapidly growing companies. We also aim to maximise the R&D capabilities of the five university partners so that businesses can engage with universities for innovation, and academic researchers can realise the business impact from their work.

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2002. Not only is this an economic impact to be proud of, but it also equates to an estimated 10,900 jobs created up to 2017.

SUCCESS STORIES

Simon Bond INNOVATION DIRECTOR, SETSQUARED

Between 2015 and 2017, SETsquared has supported 965 companies (and more than a 1,000 today!), with the Partnership providing 3,645 programmes of assistance since 2002. These figures provide an estimated total of £8.6 billion of Gross Value Added contribution from all the companies we have supported since

Whilst the figures are impressive, nothing tells the SETsquared story better than the successes of some of the companies we have supported: A recent student start-up company, Intro was formed after co-founders Max Beech and Tom Phipps from the University of Exeter attended our 3 Day Start-Up programme in 2017. They have developed an app that revolutionises the way people connect with each other and with partner companies. Despite only recently having launched, Intro has already attracted funding which is a fantastic achievement.


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