Isis Innovation and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design - announcing a fresh approach to Open Innovation

8th July 2008

Isis Innovation, the technology commercialisation company for the University of Oxford, and CSM Innovation, the design consultancy arm of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, have come together to offer a fresh approach to Open Innovation.

This partnership brings together expertise in commercialising cutting-edge technologies from the labs at Oxford University, with a consumer driven approach to product development, brand strategy, understanding cultural drivers and trend forecasting from Central Saint Martins. Working closely with clients, these two organisations are offering a new approach to accelerate innovation to develop new product and service concepts.

Isis Innovation has worked with academics at Oxford University for over 20 years, helping them to consult into companies and take ideas out of the lab and introduce them to industry. Since 1997 Isis has licensed more than 350 technologies to industry, and assisted in the formation of more than 55 start-up companies. These companies have raised more than £330m in investment and six are now listed on the London AIM Stock Exchange.

Central Saint Martins is the largest college of art and design in the UK; one of the six constituent colleges of the University of Arts London. Internationally recognised for research and collaboration across the creative industries, consultancy is provided through CSM Innovation to companies ranging from large multinationals to small, early stage start-ups.

This initiative taps into the networks of both world-class institutions, forging links across scientific, engineering, financial, creative and FMCG sectors. Companies interested in finding out more about how their business can benefit from this new collaboration are encouraged to contact Isis.

Contact:
Terry Pollard (Business Development Manager, Isis Enterprise)
T: +44 (0) 1865 280908
E: terry.pollard@isis.ox.ac.uk

Notes for editors:

Isis Innovation (Isis) is the University of Oxford’s technology transfer company. Isis 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.  Isis is a subsidiary of the University of Oxford and has established itself as one of the most successful University technology transfer companies in the UK.   www.isis-innovation.com

Since 1997 Isis has licensed more than 350 technologies to industry, and assisted in the formation of more than 55 start-up companies. These companies have raised more than £330m in investment and six are now listed on the London AIM Stock Exchange.

Isis Enterprise, established in 2004, is a division of Isis Innovation Ltd. Isis Enterprise offers consulting expertise and advice in technology commercialisation and open innovation to clients from the public and private sectors, in the UK and internationally.

Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London (CSM) is one of the six constituent colleges of the University of the Arts London (UAL) and the largest of its 4 colleges of art and design. It has 4,200 students studying at all levels from Foundation to PhD in seven broad areas: fine art; fashion & textile design; communication design; theatre and performance; 3 dimensional design; media arts; and interdisciplinary art and design.

Central Saint Martins’ global reputation for creativity has influenced the worlds of art, design and performance for many years. The College encourages innovation in students and staff, engendering a vital cultural of discovery that promotes the highest standards and attracts students from all over the world. This vitality lives on in the distinguished alumni who have taken the College’s ethos out into the world. They have created iconic designs such as London's red Routemaster buses and the chopper bike, to theatrical productions like Phantom of the Opera and exquisite fashion at Dior and Givenchy in Paris.

The College’s work was bolstered by the formation of CSM Innovation in 2006, which develops links between the research and teaching activities of the College and the outside world.