INCUBATION FRAMEWORK
A HIGH-LEVEL SUMMARY
Background
Established formally in 2019, the primary mandate of UJINVNT is to ensure commercialisation of Intellectual Property (IP) emanating from research/projects conducted by staff and students at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). To achieve this mandate, UJINVNT has identified incubation as a key strategy.
The UJ Technology Transfer Office (TTO) has over the years offered various forms of incubation support, focused mainly on UJ student entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. With UJINVNT as the lead, however, these incubation activities will be expanded into a programme under the incubation framework, with a view to working towards the establishment of a proper incubator. Incubators assist startup businesses to grow and succeed, by offering support and resources such as office space and services, training, coaching, mentorship, access to funding, collaboration opportunities and networks. The UJ Technology Transfer Office (TTO) and UJINVNT have jointly embarked on identifying and formalising collaborations in the incubation space with various potential partners, as well as carrying out activities to better understand the South African (SA) university incubation landscape and to provide insight into the support needs of the broader UJ community in this regard. This will provide evidence-based inputs to inform the focus of the envisaged incubation framework, designed to increase the commercial potential of UJ innovations and meet the needs of UJ entrepreneurs, with a view to working towards the establishment of a fully-fledged incubator, should the demand for this be demonstrated.
The incubation framework is aligned with the University’s mission, which is “inspiring its community to transform and serve humanity through innovation and the collaborative pursuit of knowledge”.
Special attention will also be paid to the University’s focus on Global Excellence and Stature 4.0 – for Societal Impact.
Background
The incubation programme will address the following strategic goals:
Innovation: UJ researchers will be exposed to the opportunities available for the fruits of their research to be translated into innovative products and services that make a positive impact on society and the economy
Job creation (graduate employability): UJ students will have the opportunity to become entrepreneurs in new ventures spun out of UJ
Venture creation and sustainable economic growth: New businesses will create jobs, improve competitiveness and contribute to the fiscus
International reach.
Strategic goals
One intervention per quarter; 100 intakes; 25 entrepreneurs per quarter Training; Services; TRL; MVP; Safe space; Dream crushing
AWARENESS A CTIVATION ENGAGEME
SUSTAINABILITY
N T
Advisory; Mentorship; Access to Finance; 3 successes per year
100 intakes—25 entrepreneurs per quarter—3 successes per year
Figure 1: Operating model
Operating Model
With reference to Figure 1, a series of incubation activities will be implemented to pre-incubate identified projects into real commercial opportunities. The approach will build on some of the support interventions offered by the TTO over the years (focused mainly on UJ student entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs), which will be expanded and packaged into a programme. The programme will take into account the different cohorts that may benefit from incubation support. Some interventions will be made available to all cohorts, whereas others will be more targeted. Promotion of graduate employability through equipping UJ students and graduates with skills and expertise that will facilitate self-employment as entrepreneurs will remain one of the key objectives.
The incubation framework operates on the basis of four key principles:
AWARENESS, ACTIVATION, ENGAGEMENT, and SUSTAINABILITY.
Awareness serves as the starting point of the innovation pipeline, where a substantial number of faculty members and students are introduced to the field of entrepreneurship. Activation necessitates the active involvement of students and faculty in entrepreneurial endeavours and requires advanced skill development and access to resources. Engagement encompasses the nurturing, mentorship, and comprehensive support of fledgling ventures to ready them for spinoffs and external funding opportunities.
Aware—Activate—Engage Sustainability
AWARE ACTIVATE
INPUTS INTERVENTIONS
Invention disclosures Intellectual Capital Platforms Targeted Research Groups
Open calls to staff and students
1. Workshop / Ideation / bootcamp
ß Target = 25 individuals per quarter
ß OUTPUT is 5 individuals per quarter that enter Incubator
ß Those who fall out may enter the cycle again after they have done some homework
2. Two IP awareness events per month
ß Each month there must be at least two events/courses that run as a standing item on calendar, for any incubatee to participate
ACTIVE INCUBATION SUPPORT TRAINING OUTPUT (Input for UJINVNT)
SLP offering 20 individuals to go through one year cycle, where the following must be achieved: MVP; Viable business case
Input is 5 projects per quarter that enter the Incubator
Refine MVP and Feasible business case Develop bankable business plan
ENGAGE
Seed fund Budget comanaged by TTO and UJ
Mentorship 5 projects that reached TRL-6, together with a competent team.
3 spin-offs with first client
TTO
Services Space Mentorship UJINVNT
INPUTS QUARTERLY INTERVENTION ACTIVE INCUBATION SUPPORT TRAINING OUTPUT SUSTAINABILITY
Services
These services will be integrated into the Operating Model. A formal programme will be designed and put in place to operationalise the service provision and will largely be linked to the activities. The projects that are identified for incubation support may be assisted with any combination of the services offered, depending on their needs. The interventions will vary case by case depending on the stage of development of the project.
Resources
The success of the proposed incubation strategy will depend on marshalling the necessary resources to underpin the programme. While many of the envisaged activities will be carried out by TTO and UJINVNT staff, with associated costs covered from TTO and UJINVNT operational budgets and other available sources, additional capacity and funding will be required.
Monitoring and Evaluation
This programme will be piloted in 2023. The interventions at each phase will be evaluated for relevance and effectiveness and will be adjusted accordingly on an ongoing basis. After one year, a comprehensive evaluation will take place to guide the way forward.
Project Pipeline
While the UJ innovation pipeline remains predominantly at an early stage, there are several projects in the TTO portfolio that are showing promising progress towards commercialisation. It is important to distinguish between different cohorts that may benefit from incubation support: potential start-ups based on UJ IP, technology or other innovations; tech-based start-ups developed by UJ staff or students independently of their UJ work; and student lifestyle businesses. Some interventions will be made available to all cohorts, whereas others will be more targeted. Promotion of graduate employability through equipping UJ students and graduates with skills and expertise that will facilitate self-employment as entrepreneurs will remain one of the key objectives.
Promotion of graduate employability through equipping UJ students and graduates with skills and expertise
that will facilitate self-employment as entrepreneurs will remain one of the key objectives.
100 intakes—25 entrepreneurs per quarter—3 successes per year
MINING
FACILITIES: Departments of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Chemical Sciences and Chemical Engineering Technology.
OPPORTUNITY: Linking up with Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), Canada to incubate 1 project per year
CHEMICALS FACILITIES: Departments of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Chemical Sciences and Chemical Engineering Technology.
OPPORTUNITY: Collaborating with Chemin to coincubate chemicalsbased business opportunities.
Licensing opportunities of UJ’s IP portfolio
BIOBANK SERVICES
Many laboratories have the potential to render services, eg water testing. Other opportunities include services related to chemical compounds or living organisms in repositories, such as gene sequencing.
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA)
FACILITIES: FabLab and Department of Industrial Design
Intellectual Capital Platforms
RESEARCH CENTRES
Laser Centre
Atomic Layer Deposition
Green Hydrogen
SPACE
Hot desks at TTO and UJINVNT.
TRAINING
SLPs on Business; IP Management; Finance; Marketing, Technology
Commercialisation, etc.
Services
MENTORING
Access to captains of industry, lawyers, etc.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Support to reach appropriate TRLs, prototype, pilot scale or MVP.
MARKET
ACCESS
& NETWORKING
Provide access to platforms for showcasing innovations.
ACCESS TO FINANCE
Seed fund; VCs fund.
NEW VENTURE CREATION SUPPORT
IP ADVISORY
Novelty searches; market reports; IP strategies.
ACCESS TO FACILITIES
Access to laboratories, facilities and equipment.
Provide support for new spin-out opportunities. Assist founders in the creation of the entity where opportunities are ripe for this route.
TTO Training and Events Calendar
APRIL
Monthly Intervention:
ß Online Info Session: EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Competition – Information and tips to ensure a good Competition Application
ß IP Awareness Session –
Date: 18 April 2023
JULY
Monthly Intervention:
ß Proposal writing for Commercialisation and Seed Funding Workshop
Date: 13 July 2023
Facilitator: Ms Charmaine Niemand
ß iSession
An open event to anyone who wants information on topics such as:
- UJ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem support
- Trending problems/challenges in South Africa that serve as inspiration for research outputs, etc.
OCTOBER
Monthly Intervention:
ß IP Awareness session
Industry Engagement:
ß Technologies available for licensing
MAY
Quarterly Intervention:
EDHE Pitching Event
Date: 30 – 31 May 2023
Monthly Intervention:
ß Innovation Canvas Workshop
Date: 25 May 2023
Facilitator: Ms Ruwaida Mohideen
ß Faculty engagement – IP and Commercialisation
AUGUST
Quarterly Intervention:
“Market opportunities for Research” – Does my Research have a Market?
Monthly Intervention:
ß Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Forum Engagement
Short Learning Programme:
ß SARChI Entrepreneurship and UJInvnt
NOVEMBER
Quarterly Intervention: Science (Chemical focus) & FEBE Projects Engagement
Monthly Intervention:
ß Faculty Engagement – IP and Commercialisation (Target high output faculties)
Short Learning Programme:
ß SARChI Entrepreneurship and UJInvnt
JUNE
Monthly Intervention:
ß Ideation Workshop
Date: 22 June 2023
Facilitator: TBC
SEPTEMBER
Monthly Intervention:
ß Talk: IP Attorneys
AI & IP
DECEMBER
WIPO Online Course:
D Les101, APK Campus
General Course on Intellectual Property (Registration required)
www.uj.ac.za
ujinvnt@uj.ac.za
