The results of the 2009/10 HE Business and Community Interaction Survey are published today by HESA. The downloadable publication shows that 273 new spin-off companies were set up in 2009/10 to exploit intellectual property originating in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). A further 2422 new start-up companies were set up by staff and recent graduates of HEIs.

Spin-off and start-up firms

There were a total of 6690 active HE spin-off and start-up firms operating in 2009/10 employing approximately 28,000 people (FTE) with a turnover of over £2 billion and external investment of over £1 billion.

The table below shows the UK-wide results from the 2009/10 HE-BCI survey for spin-off and start-up companies, including the restated results for 2008/09:

Other business and community interactions

Other forms of business interaction revealed by the HE-BCI survey include contracted research, consultancy and the use of specialised facilities and equipment. HEIs also earned income providing courses for business and from the licensing of intellectual property.

The table below shows the income for UK HEIs from these sources in 2009/10 and 2008/09 (restated):

HE-BCI publication

The new HESA publication HE Business and Community Interaction Survey 2009/10 contains the full results of the 2009/10 survey for every HE institution. The publication includes the qualitative responses from Part A of the survey, as well as the quantitative data from Part B (from which the above tables are drawn). HE Business and Community Interaction Survey 2009/10 is available to purchase and instantly download from http://www.hesa.ac.uk/pubs.

A full schedule of all HESA releases for 2011 can be found here: http://www.hesa.ac.uk/pubs_schedule

Notes for Editors

1. Press enquiries should be directed to:

   HESA Press Office
   01242 211120
   pressoffice@hesa.ac.uk
   95 Promenade, Cheltenham, GL50 1HZ.

2. HESA data is collected from all publicly funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the UK, plus the University of Buckingham, which is a non-publicly-funded institution. The HE-BCI Survey is mandatory for HEIs in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, excluding The University of Wales (central functions). The HE-BCI Survey is not mandatory for HEIs in Scotland, although the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) strongly advise that HEIs in Scotland return it. In 2009/10, four institutions in Scotland did not submit HE-BCI data. The 2009/10 HE-BCI data covers 161 HEIs (131 in England, 11 in Wales, 15 in Scotland and 4 in Northern Ireland).


3. The Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey (HE-BCI) is the main vehicle for measuring the volume and direction of interactions between UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and business and the wider community. The survey collects information on the infrastructure, capacity and strategy of HEIs, and also numeric and financial data regarding third stream activity (that is, activities concerned with the generation, use, application and exploitation of knowledge and other university capabilities outside academic environments, and distinct from core activities of teaching and research).


4. Some variations in the data between years may be due to availability of information from independent spin-off and start-up companies, and changes in HEIs’ reporting practices.


5. The survey has collected data for each academic year from 1999/2000, with HESA undertaking the survey since 2008/09. From 1999/2000 to 2007/08 the survey was undertaken, and its results published, by HEFCE: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/kes/measureke/hebci/


6. The data tables above relate to all UK HE institutions. Figures for the individual nations of the UK are available below [England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland].


7. HESA cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived from the data by third parties.


8. Definitions of the terms used above follow:

Definitions

Coverage

HE-BCI data relates to the institutions' financial year, i.e. 1 August 2009 to 31 July 2010. Data for 2008/09 are restated figures supplied in the 2009/10 survey and may differ from previously published 2008/09 data.

All financial values in the HE-BCI Survey are shown in units of £1,000, and where necessary rounded to the nearest £1,000.

Spin-off activity

Spin-offs are companies set-up to exploit intellectual property (IP) that has originated from within the HEI. All investment from the HEI and external partners are included but any investment from HEFCE/BIS third stream funds (such as the Higher Education Innovation Fund in England or the Third Mission Fund in Wales) is excluded.

Spin-offs with some HEI ownership are companies set-up to exploit IP that has originated from within the HEI, where the HEI continues to have some ownership.

Formal spin-offs, not HEI-owned are companies set-up based on IP that has originated from within the HEI but which the HEI has released ownership (usually through the sale of shares and/or IP).

Staff start-ups are companies set-up by active (or recent) HEI staff but not based on IP from the institution.

Graduate start-ups include all new business started by recent graduates (within two years) regardless of where any IP resides, but only where there has been formal business/enterprise support from the HEI.

Spin-off activity is further analysed by the number of new spin off companies for the reporting period; the number of active firms (the 'number' and 'number still active which have survived at least 3 years' plus those companies which have been active for between one and three years); estimated current employment of all active firms (FTE); estimated current turnover of all active firms (£000s) and estimated external investment received (£000s) (from external partners but excluding investment from HEFCE/BIS third stream funds).

Note: estimates for estimated current employment of all active firms (FTE), estimated current turnover of all active firms (£000s), and estimated external investment received (£000s) (from external partners but excluding investment from HEFCE/BIS third stream funds) are provided by HEIs where possible.

Collaborative research involving public funding

This includes research projects' public funding from at least one public body, and a material contribution from at least one external non-academic collaborator. The collaborative contribution may be cash or 'in-kind' (if this is specified in a collaborative agreement and auditable). In-kind contributions include contributions to the project from the non-academic collaborators (for example staff time, use of equipment and other resources, materials, provision of data etc.) as described in the project collaboration agreement.

Contract research

This includes contract numbers and income identifiable by the institution as meeting the specific research needs of external partners, excluding any already returned in collaborative research involving public funding and excluding basic research council grants.

Business and community services

Consultancy contracts

This includes contract numbers and income associated with consultancy, which are crucially dependent on a high degree of intellectual input from the institution to the client (commercial or non-commercial) without the creation of new knowledge. Consultancy may be carried out either by academic staff or by members of staff who are not on academic contracts, such as senior university managers or administrative/support staff.

Facilities and equipment related services

This includes the use and income associated with the use the HEI's physical academic resources by external parties, and captures provision which can be uniquely provided by an HEI. Examples may include aerospace company use of a HEI's wind tunnel, or media company use of a digital media suite. It does not include simple trading activities such as commercial hire of conference facilities or academic conferences.

Courses for business and the community

This includes revenue generated by Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses, defined as a range of short and long training programmes for learners already in work who are undertaking the course for purposes of professional development, upskilling or workforce development.

Regeneration and development programmes

Regeneration funding is an important way for HEIs to invest intellectual assets in economic, physical and socially beneficial projects. The majority of regeneration funding comes from European sources, specifically the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, UK Government regeneration funds and development agencies in the UK Regional Development Agencies

Intellectual property (IP)

IP is a vital indicator for the value added by the HEI when interacting with a range of external partners. It is commonly in the form of licenses granted to private companies, allowing them to exploit an invention protected by a patent. IP includes patents, copyright, design registrations and trade marks.

IP income includes income from upfront or milestone fees, royalties and patents cost reimbursement.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) includes enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. SMEs include micro, small and medium enterprises and sole traders.

Other (non-SME) commercial businesses includes other commercial businesses which do not match the above definition of SMEs.

Non-commercial organisations includes organisations from which its shareholders or trustees do not benefit financially.

ENDS

Annex - equivalent tables for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

England

Wales

Scotland

The HE-BCI Survey is not mandatory for HEIs in Scotland, although the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) strongly advise that HEIs in Scotland return it.

In 2009/10, four institutions in Scotland did not submit HE-BCI data.

Northern Ireland