Professor Pete Dobson is the founder and first Director of Oxford University Science Park, Begbroke (OUSP). He founded the park in 2002 after recognising the need for additional laboratory space for Oxford University departments and a place for spinouts to develop and grow. Over the years, Pete created three spin-off companies from his research group, as well as helping many others.
Drawing on this experience, he writes about what innovation is and how OUSP came to be a centre for innovation.
By Professor Pete Dobson
Innovation is what happens when we turn an idea into a useful commercial product. It is really very different from an ‘invention’, but it is essential for taking inventions forward.
Creating an innovative environment
I founded Oxford University Science Park, Begbroke (OUSP), to provide inventors with the ideal ecosystem to develop their ideas and provide the right space, environment and facilities for innovation. An innovation centre has to have good physical communications and connectivity with the rest of the world, and this is certainly the case at Begbroke in regard to road, rail and even air, being very close to Oxford airport! The fibre-optic link to Oxford University and the world completes the connectivity.
At the outset, OUSP was different to most other science parks in the country and in the region because Oxford University research activity is embedded within the site. This gives the commercial tenants access to facilities and experts that are world-class. This is very helpful in the early stages of innovation, when the spin-off or start-up companies are unsure of the level of manufacturing or characterisation/test equipment they will need. It is also an ecosystem for student projects and work experience, and has benefits for both the companies and the University.
Facilities at Begbroke include laboratory spaces for both dry and wet labs, the AgileLab (a flexible, low-cost space to support the early stages of commercialising scientific research), office space, shared meeting spaces, and on-site hospitality amenities, including a café and restaurant. There is access to a wide range of science and technology experts, who can advise on technical issues, materials and equipment procurement, and provide connections to investors, business, legal and intellectual property assistance.
The innovation pathway
Since the 1980’s, when large corporate companies and well-funded Government laboratories were very active, innovation in the UK has become more dependent on the activities of small start-up companies and spin-offs from university research.
Today, after filing patents and building a team to develop the idea, there are many important stages that constitute innovation. The first is at the ‘angel investment stage’, when the founders have to provide a business plan to convince the investor that their idea is viable and that there are customers for the idea. For high-technology companies, it is usually better if the customer is another company that is familiar with the field and has a well-defined need. So, this stage of innovation takes the founding team out of the laboratory and into the world of business and commerce.
The team itself has to adapt, and the founder has to accept that this is not an extension of research, and it will be essential to bring in experienced people. Identifying the right CEO is a crucial step, and as the company develops, having a good, experienced and well-networked Chair will pay dividends. The premises in these early stages are extremely important, and this is one of the biggest strengths of Begbroke because the management there fully appreciates the needs.
Some of the hardest issues that spin-off companies have to deal with are in assessing how far the technology has advanced and how far it has to go before it is truly commercial. This is accompanied by understanding the supply chains of the components, the goods that are needed and the skills that have to be brought into the team. There is now a well-established practice of assessing the Technology Readiness Level, and courses/advice are available for this part of the innovation pathway.
The supply chain issue is now becoming much more acute because of geo-politics and the UK, with its huge loss of manufacturing capability, is vulnerable. There is also a growing and critical vulnerability in skill shortages, especially at the technician level.
It is quite possible that many academics in the University and local innovators do not fully realise the opportunities that Begbroke can provide. They should arrange a visit and see what the site offers, and they will be agreeably surprised.
