27 May 2008
GRANT THORNTON AND ISIS ENTERPRISE LAUNCH IP ACQUISITION SUPPORT INITIATIVE
Grant Thornton has joined forces with technology transfer specialist Isis Enterprise to provide an innovative and comprehensive Intellectual Property acquisition support service designed specifically for technology businesses.
This initiative brings together Isis Enterprise’s unique position as an expert in the IP-based project management field and Grant Thornton’s market-leading corporate finance capabilities, where the firm ranks number one M&A adviser for transactions up to £50m (Thomson Financial, February 2008).
Leading financial and business adviser Grant Thornton has a strong focus on entrepreneurial businesses as well as a proven track record in servicing mid-market M&A. The firm has a specialist technology team which provides an integrated service incorporating lead advisory transaction services and tax. In 2007, Grant Thornton completed 89 M&A transactions of which 40 were acquisitions and 17 were technology driven.
Part of the University of Oxford, Isis Innovation has established Isis Enterprise as a management consultancy specialising in Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property (IP). The company’s services include carrying out technology reviews and market assessments as well as developing tailored commercialisation strategies and IP roadmapping. On average Isis Innovation files one patent a week and has assisted in the formation of more than 50 spin-out companies.
Wendy Hart, corporate finance partner at Grant Thornton in Oxford said: “The effective acquisition and commercialisation of IP is paramount when it comes to generating profits, but the dynamic nature of the IP environment and the difficulty of identifying IP data from publicly available information can make it challenging to identify suitable targets.
“Many established corporate financiers lack a detailed knowledge of the technology IP market while boutique search firms tend to lack the capabilities to project manage the acquisition process through to its conclusion. By bringing together the expertise within Grant Thornton and Isis Enterprise, mid-market technology businesses will have access to a complete acquisition support service that will see the deal through from start to finish.”
Dr David Baghurst, Head of Group at Isis Enterprise, said: “Working in partnership with Grant Thornton, we will be able to provide assistance in identifying the most valuable elements of a company’s current technology or IP portfolio and how they might be developed or extended to make the business more profitable. We can then help with the whole process from identifying the potential gaps in the portfolio, through to searching for relevant acquisition targets and then evaluating and valuing these targets.”
If you would like any further information or a free no obligation initial meeting to discuss your needs contact Wendy Hart at Grant Thornton on 01865 799899 or Dr David Baghurst at Isis Enterprise on 01865 280 858.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Helen Watson on 07717 765444 or Catherine Connan on 07976 669089 or email helenwatson@armadillo-pr.com or catherineconnan@armadillo-pr.com
Notes to editors:
Grant Thornton Corporate Finance is a leading provider of lead advisory, transaction advisory services, capital markets and operations and post-deal services. During 2007 it advised on 214 deals with a total publicised value in excess of £2.5 billion.
Grant Thornton UK LLP is a leading financial and business adviser with 30 locations nationwide. We are the UK member of Grant Thornton International, one of the world's leading international organisations of independently owned and managed accounting and consulting firms. Although Grant Thornton International is not a worldwide partnership, the firms share a commitment to providing the same high quality service to their clients wherever they do business.
Copyright (symbol) 2007 Grant Thornton UK LLP. All rights reserved.
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www.grantthornton.co.uk
Isis Innovation is the University of Oxford’s technology transfer company. It provides researchers with commercial advice, funds patent applications and legal costs, negotiates exploitation and spin-out company agreements, and identifies and manages consultancy opportunities for University researchers. It is a subsidiary of the University of Oxford and has established itself as one of the best University technology transfer companies in the UK.