Common questions

These questions are grouped by theme and represent some of the frequent queries and concerns we hear from working with academics, researchers and clinicians as they explore going to market.

If you have another question you don't see answered here, get in touch so we can assist - no question it too small or too basic. 

General commercialisation questions

My idea is still early — when should I talk to UCL Ventures?

We can discuss your idea at any point in your research journey. 

In fact, early-stage conversations are welcomed: our experts might be able to give advice to help shape your research into something commercially-viable from the beginning and help keep it protected. 

All conversations are confidential and no obligation. 

I’m not sure my idea is commercially viable – can you help?

That uncertainty is completely normal and we can certainly advise you.

Early support focuses on asking the right questions - who might use your invention, technology or idea, what problem it solves, what’s genuinely different - so you can make a grounded decision without over‑investing time or energy.

What’s the first practical step I should take?

Start with a conversation. 

You don’t need a business plan or a polished pitch. The first step is understanding your options and what a sensible next move looks like. Find the Business Manager who knows your area of research here or book a call with them here.

Can I protect my idea before talking about it?

Being cautious is wise, especially when it comes to protecting an idea. The sooner you talk to us, the sooner we can help take the right steps to ensure it is protected.

Our guidance covers intellectual property, timing, and disclosure, so you can talk about your idea with more confidence and avoid accidental missteps.

Do I need to become an entrepreneur to do this?

No! You remain the expert on your research area throughout, but you will acquire new skills and learn about the commercial world. 

UCL Ventures helps to give you enough commercial understanding to make good decisions, and make recommendations for your research and situation, while you stay focused on your area(s) of expertise, be that research, teaching, or clinical work. 

Will I still be able to teach / research if I pursue commercialisation? 

Time pressure is a common concern - but the vast majority of those we work with continue to teach or research. 

Going to market would be an additional pressure on your time, with creating a company often being more time-intensive than the licensing route, but this is something your 

I’m an academic not an entrepreneur – where do I even begin?

You can start here. Our role is to help you understand the process, guide you to the pathway that will suit your research and goals, and help you make decisions with confidence. 

Our collaborative approach

Will I lose control of my research if I work with you?

You will remain central throughout as the expert on your research. The role of UCL Ventures is to guide and advise, guiding you to find the right pathway. 

You stay involved in key decisions at every stage.

Can I work with you as a student or PhD candidate? 

Our services are available to some PhD candidates, where the funding or research agreement determines that UCL owns the IP. Check with your supervisor if you are unsure about the status of your IP. 

We are unable to work with masters’ or undergraduate students; student entrepreneurship is supported by other teams within UCL, such as Innovation and Enterprise.

What you can expect

What happens at the very early stages?

Early stages are about sense‑making. This includes slowing things down, asking the right questions, and avoiding premature decisions that could weaken your position later.

What does “market‑ready” actually mean?

It means your idea is clearly defined, appropriately protected, and strong enough to engage external partners or investors — with realistic expectations about what comes next.

Can this fit alongside teaching and research?

Yes, absolutely. We have many researchers who continue to teach and research while they explore and then commit to going to market. A small number of those we support will eventually leave academia to commit themselves full-time but 

Clear stages and guidance from our team of experts help keep it manageable alongside existing commitments; our Business Managers will be able to help you more about the commitment needed from you to move forwards.

Spinout pathway

What is a spinout?

A spinout is a new company formed to develop and scale your research into a product or service, exclusively licensing the IP you have created. 

When is a spinout usually the right route?

Spinouts tend to suit research with strong differentiation, clear commercial potential, and a need for ongoing development rather than a one‑off transaction. They’re often chosen when impact depends on building something new, not just transferring IP.

Do I need to be a full‑time founder?

No. Many academic founders remain focused on research or clinical work. Roles can be shaped to fit your availability and priorities, with experienced commercial leadership brought in where appropriate.

How demanding is a spinout?

Spinouts require commitment, but expectations should be realistic. A key part of support is helping you understand what’s involved at each stage so you can make informed decisions that suit you and your research.

What support is involved?

Support typically includes shaping the opportunity, protecting the IP, building a credible commercial plan, and connecting you with investors, partners, and experienced operators — at the right time.

Licensing pathway 

What does licensing mean?

Licensing involves granting an existing company the right to use your intellectual property in return for agreed terms, such as fees or royalties. The company takes responsibility for development and market delivery.

When is licensing a good option?

Licensing is often suitable when the technology fits well within an established company’s capabilities and product roadmap, such as a therapeutic for a pharmaceutical company that is keen to build out its operations in that disease area; or when you prefer a lower‑involvement pathway that doesn’t require building a new organisation.

How involved do I need to be?

Licensing usually requires less ongoing involvement than a spinout, but each agreement will look different. You may still provide expert input, and some researchers remain close to the project, but you’re not responsible for running or scaling the business.

Does licensing limit impact?

Not necessarily. For some ideas, licensing can be the most effective way to reach patients, users, or markets at scale through an organisation that already has reach and infrastructure. 

How are partners chosen?

A good firA structured approach helps identify partners who are technically capable, strategically aligned, and genuinely committed to development — rather than simply acquiring IP without progressing it.

Social Venture

What is a social venture?

A social venture focuses on delivering measurable social or environmental impact, often alongside financial sustainability. Success is defined by outcomes, not profit alone.

When is a social venture appropriate?

This route suits ideas where impact is the primary driver — for example in health, public services, education, or sustainability — and where traditional commercial routes may not fully capture the value created.

Does a social venture still involve commercial thinking?

Absolutely. Social ventures still need credible plans, governance, and sustainability. Commercial discipline helps ensure the impact is durable and scalable, rather than short‑lived. 

How is this different from licensing or spinout?

The mechanics may overlap, but decisions are driven first by social impact objectives. Support helps explore structures and partners that best serve those aims.

What support is available?

Support focuses on shaping the model, protecting the idea, understanding funding options, and ensuring the route chosen genuinely supports the intended impact.

IP and patenting

Why is protecting my idea important?

Early protection helps preserve future options for your idea. Without it, publishing or informal discussions can limit what’s possible later, even if the idea has strong potential. We welcome early, no-obligation discussions to ensure 

Does my idea count as intellectual property?

Intellectual property (IP) can include inventions, methods, data, software, designs, and know‑how. Not everything is patentable, but many ideas still have protectable value.

Do I need a patent straight away?

No, a patent may not always be an appropriate form of protection. Conversations focus on understanding what protection is appropriate, when action is needed, and how to avoid accidental disclosure, such as publishing a paper or giving a presentation, which can jeopardise the protection available to your research.

What happens if I’ve already published?

It’s still worth talking to UCL Ventures to determine where you stand. While some protections may be limited, there may be routes forward depending on what’s been disclosed and how.

Can I talk to industry or investors safely?

Yes — but with guidance. Understanding when and how to have external conversations is a key part of early support, helping you engage without putting the idea at risk. Book a confidential discussion here to find out more.

Is IP protection only about money?

No, protection is about enabling impact. It helps ensure your research can be developed responsibly, attract partners, and reach the people who could benefit from it.

Funding and support

How do I apply for funding?

Your Business Manager will be able to advise on the processes for each funding pot. They can also share which are - or are not - suitable for you and your research.

Find out who your Business Manager - the commercialisation expert who knows your field of research - is here.

Will UCL Ventures invest directly in my idea?

In some cases, yes. If your research could benefit from Proof of Concept funding, to help advance the idea and demonstrate commercial potential, we might be able to support you. 

This can help unlock progress and make your project more attractive to external investors further down the line. Our role is to support your journey from idea to investment readiness, not just connect you with external funding.

How do I know which funding route is right?

Part of our role is to help you understand what different funding options are designed for, what they can and can’t do, and whether they genuinely fit your idea and goals at this stage. Speak to the team to learn more.

Can funding support more than technical development?

Yes. In some cases, funding can also support activities that build commercial readiness — such as market exploration, planning, or early validation — not just lab work. There is also dedicated funding available for impact-driven social ventures. 

What other support is available beyond funding?

Funding is only one part of the picture. Support can also include shaping the opportunity, protecting IP, project management, building commercial understanding, and connecting you to the right expertise or partners when appropriate.

See our training and tools available for additional support.

How is this different from academic research funding?

Academic funding is awarded based on research excellence, methodology and potential contribution to knowledge. Funding for early-stage ideas, and later investment into projects, is by contrast, based on commercial potential and the likelihood of market return.

Impact still matters - but grantors and investors will also look closely at your model, scalability and ability to deliver results in a real-world setting. We help you navigate this shift.

When should I start thinking about funding?

Earlier than you might expect.

If you believe your research has commercial potential, it’s worth starting the conversation early. We can help you explore funding options, shape your proposition and avoid common pitfalls - even before you’re actively seeking investment.

Project management

What does project management support involve?

Project management helps coordinate the different strands of activity involved in developing an idea — technical, commercial, legal, and strategic — so progress is structured and manageable rather than ad hoc.

When does project management support begin?

It typically starts once an invention has a patent.

How does this help me focus on my research?

By reducing friction and the burden of a project. Clear planning, sequencing, and coordination help prevent unnecessary work, duplicated effort, or last‑minute pressure, allowing you to stay focused on your core academic or clinical role. 

Our project managers also understand the systems and processes at UCL, so can ease that burden for you.

Supporting innovation and entrepreneurship at UCL

How does commercialisation fit with excellent research?

Commercialisation is treated as an extension of excellent research, not a distraction from it. The focus at UCL Ventures is on enabling ideas with real‑world potential to progress responsibly, without undermining academic rigour or integrity.

Is innovation only about startups and spinouts?

No. Innovation can take many forms, including licensing, partnerships, Social Ventures / impact‑led routes. The right path depends on the nature of the research and the kind of impact it can create.

What support exists across the wider UCL ecosystem?

Support sits within a broader innovation and entrepreneurial environment at UCL, connecting research excellence with expertise in development, translation, and impact.

This includes some funding, and leveraging expertise.

Is this relevant at early career stages?

Yes - we know that ideas can emerge at any stage of a research career. Early conversations are about understanding potential and options, and helping guide you if going to market is something you would like to do.

What if my work is primarily impact‑driven?

That’s often the case. Many researchers are motivated by patient benefit, public good, or system change. Commercialisation routes are explored as tools to achieve impact, not ends in themselves.

Why partner with UCL Ventures

Why work with UCL Ventures?

UCL Ventures acts as a trusted gateway to high‑quality opportunities emerging from UCL’s research, combining academic depth with commercial expertise to shape credible, investable propositions. 

We have more than 30 years of experience of bringing the brilliant work of UCL researchers to market, including five IPOs and more than £3 billion in external fundraising since 2020.

How are opportunities assessed and de‑risked?

Opportunities are shaped over time through structured development, IP protection, and realistic planning. This reduces early‑stage risk and helps ensure clarity before external capital is engaged.

How is impact balanced with returns?

Impact and returns are treated as complementary here at UCL Ventures: excellent research with strong impact from the university often underpins long‑term value, and commercial discipline helps ensure impact is sustainable and scalable.

UCL Technology Fund

What kinds of activities can UCLTF support?

Activities may include technical development, feasibility work, or steps that strengthen the commercial proposition — always focused on enabling informed next decisions.

Do I need to form a company to access it?

No. The fund is designed to support ideas before a formal company exists, keeping options open while the opportunity is explored.

How does it connect to later routes to market?

By reducing early uncertainty and risk, the fund helps position ideas for smoother progression into licensing deals, spinouts, or other impact routes.

Disclose an idea

What information does the disclosure form ask for?

It focuses on the underpinnings of the research: what the idea is, how it works, what problem it addresses, and any disclosures already made, the parties involved — enough to begin assessment, and help us begin to understand where on the pathway to commercialisation your idea currently sits. 

It is certainly not a finished business case.

Is the disclosure confidential?

Yes. Confidentiality is central, so you can disclose openly without risking the idea. All conversations with our team are treated confidentially.

Can I complete the form a bit at a time? 

Yes. Currently, the form is a document to fill in, but we are developing a digital version that can you will be able to return to.

What happens after I submit a disclosure?

The form will be sent to the relevant Business Manager who supports your UCL department. Once assessed, you’ll be contacted to book a meeting to discuss the idea, next steps, and whether protection or further exploration is appropriate. Submission starts a conversation, not a commitment.

Does submitting a disclosure commit me to working with you? 

No. Submission starts a conversation, not a commitment. It helps us to assess your research and what might be possible. 

Can I still publish after submitting a disclosure?

Often yes — but timing matters. Early advice helps ensure publication plans don’t unintentionally limit protection or impact.