Isis Innovation's Contribution

Isis has assisted University of Oxford researchers in setting up over 40 spin-out companies. Isis' contribution is in three main areas:

• Business Planning
• Identifying Management
• Identifying Investment

Business Planning

Isis can help with the preparation of the business plan, which will provide the basis on which your investors will construct their proposals.  Isis can assist in deciding how best to structure the new company (debt/equity; shares, share options etc).

To help define the business of the company we have developed the questionnaire which can be found here. Although some of the questions appear trivial we have found that discussing them with researchers (particularly if there is more than one involved) is very helpful in stimulating discussion, and clarifying exactly what the spin-out is to do. Isis staff will be pleased to go through the questionnaire with you if you so wish.

Management

During the spinning out process, as well as in the subsequent running of the business, it is important that the team has a leader. This may be a researcher, or possibly one of the investors or an identified manager. Isis can compensate to some extent for lack of leadership in the spin-out team; but Isis will not be involved in the management of the resulting company (unless a member of Isis staff becomes involved as the University’s appointed director).  It is therefore important to establish a leader at an early stage.  It may or may not be the case that the early leader eventually becomes the Managing Director of the company. Isis has a list of lawyers and accountants we have used before and can introduce you to them as well as to potential investors.

Investment

Isis can assist in identifying sources of investment finance through the Isis Angels Network (IAN) and other contacts. IAN is a group of private investors (often called "business angels") and venture capital companies with a keen interest in investing in university spin-outs. It is not uncommon for business angels to take an active role in their investee companies which can bolster the spin-out team. Investment opportunities are presented to IAN members through direct mailings, meetings and formal presentation events held throughout the year.

Although it is the University which must approve all spin-out companies, Isis is involved in the approval process; and the University will consider the recommendations of Isis when deciding whether to accept an investment proposal.