About Innovation and Commercialisation

Content Accordions

• Pre-award/Bid Writing Phase

  The I&C team will collaborate with the bid applicant, Research Office, and Development Managers to explore potential commercial exploitation opportunities, contingent upon winning the bid. This collaborative effort will involve several key tasks, including but not limited to:

  • Identifying regional companies that may be interested in the developments resulting from the research.
  • Pinpointing areas where premature disclosure of research results could invalidate IP protection and devising mitigation strategies.
  • Identifying potential seed or angel investors whose investment portfolios align with the research.
• Active Research Phase

  The I&C team will work closely with researchers to identify and resolve bottlenecks that hinder the transition of research to commercial solutions. This includes addressing resource constraints that prevent researchers from creating any prototypes or functional models necessary to demonstrate commercial viability at early Technology Readiness Levels, among other challenges. 

  It is highly recommended to fill out the Innovation Disclosure Form at the first understanding of potential commercialisation viability of any research. Please email enterprise@wrexham.ac.uk to request a form.

• Post-research Phase

  The I&C team will support researchers and innovators through various means, after research completion and before any public disclosure or publication. Our support includes: 

  • IP Protection: Advice on the best form of protection, whether via a patent, copyright, trade secret or similar. Based on our recommendations, we will follow through with the necessary protection activities. Innovators are expected to support these IP protection efforts. The I&C team collaborates with both the internal legal team and external IP lawyers for advice and operations of IP-related activities. 

  • Translational Research Support: The I&C team will partner with various internal departments to identify and secure funding for translational research. This may involve developing functional prototypes to establish a robust business case before pursuing a spinout or licensing deal. 

  • Technology Transfer: When required, the I&C team will serve as the Technology Transfer Office (TTO), facilitating the commercialisation of research through programs like ICURe and SHAPE Accelerator. 

  • Business Plan Development: The I&C team will assist inventors in developing a robust business plan. This often involves partnering with external professional services and resources such as the Welsh Government’s Accelerated Growth Program and Small Business Research Institute. 

  • Spinout and Licensing: Our team will be the primary point of contact, driving all spinout and licensing deliverables prescribed in our Spinout and Licensing Guidelines.