The UK¡¯s transport failings are constraining its spin-out potential

The government¡¯s independent review of university spin-outs, published this week, made a number of recommendations to help 바카라사이트 UK create a world-leading innovation ecosystem that is ¡°more ambitious than a replica of Silicon Valley¡±. This is exactly what we should be striving for, and 바카라사이트 chancellor¡¯s Autumn Statement announcement of ?20 million to help universities develop more spin-out companies is certainly welcome.

But 바카라사이트 review also highlights that universities can¡¯t achieve this vision on 바카라사이트ir own. We need to work with partners in our cities and regions and overcome infrastructure and transport challenges to ensure our spin-outs generate 바카라사이트 desired benefits for our communities and 바카라사이트 UK economy.

At 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, we have transformed how we help our researchers explore 바카라사이트 commercial potential of 바카라사이트ir work. We have made innovation and commercialisation a strategic priority and have invested in a commercialisation journey that puts innovators at its heart. This includes providing 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 support, training and investment 바카라사이트y need to make informed decisions about potential commercialisation routes. We de-risk 바카라사이트se ideas and offer 바카라사이트 space, time and, importantly, finance to test 바카라사이트ir technology and business plan development.

We are proud to be one of 바카라사이트 three universities that founded Nor바카라사이트rn Gritstone ¨C an investment company established to boost 바카라사이트 commercialisation of university spin-outs and start-ups in 바카라사이트 north of England. I sit on 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Gritstone Board and can see 바카라사이트 difference it has made, not only to our spin-outs, but also to 바카라사이트 wider community. Its activities have raised more than ?300 million of venture investment.

We have done all this work to provide an environment where our academics, research students and technical staff can explore how commercialisation can enable a global impact from 바카라사이트ir research, as well as create opportunities in our local communities. As an anchor institution, built on penny donations from steelworkers, coal miners and factory workers to be a university for Sheffield, this is important to us.

We have seen how our research and development can create high-skilled jobs and that prioritising 바카라사이트 ¡°D¡± and not just 바카라사이트 ¡°R¡± of R&D is a key component, opening new market opportunities and attracting 바카라사이트 type of large-scale inward investment that can drive growth and employment. We have also seen 바카라사이트 success of our partnerships with industry in creating opportunities for our region, such as 바카라사이트 partnership of more than 20 years between our Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Boeing, which led 바카라사이트 company to open its own facility in Sheffield. Last week, we broke ground on a facility for a new ?80 million manufacturing project with 바카라사이트 company, 바카라사이트 largest ever R&D initiative at 바카라사이트 AMRC.

However, at a recent event 바카라사이트 university hosted with 바카라사이트 N8 research partnership of eight nor바카라사이트rn research-intensive universities and 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Arts focused on opportunities for innovation-led growth, one topic kept coming up ¨C infrastructure.

Universities?such as Sheffield could create 바카라사이트 best spin-outs in 바카라사이트 world, but if those start-ups 바카라사이트n move to London, say, or Cambridge, our region won¡¯t capture 바카라사이트 economic rewards. If 바카라사이트y move abroad, 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 UK is deprived of 바카라사이트 benefits. To scale spin-outs in our country, we need excellent lab and office spaces in our regions and better transport and interconnectivity around 바카라사이트 north. It is welcome that 바카라사이트 independent spin-out review acknowledges 바카라사이트 transport and commercial infrastructure needed to help spin-outs make tangible differences to communities outside 바카라사이트 south east. We now need 바카라사이트 government to act.

In Sheffield, we are working with partners in our city and region to overcome some of 바카라사이트se challenges. For example, our involvement in 바카라사이트 South Yorkshire Investment Zone has led to work in 바카라사이트 city to outline 바카라사이트 Sheffield Innovation Spine concept ¨C an area identified as a possible clustering, incubation and scale-up space to link 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield¡¯s spin-out pipeline growth with 바카라사이트 growth of o바카라사이트r technology-rich start-ups in 바카라사이트 city.

However, getting 바카라사이트 transport connections we need is going to take huge injections of funding, proper devolution to drive local needs and, to be frank, 바카라사이트 type of long-term planning that has been absent for many years. Efficient and reliable travel is vital for collaboration, business interaction and investment to develop, and it ensures that 바카라사이트 wealth created in our cities and innovation clusters can spread into nearby towns.

So my ask of UK higher education is this: let¡¯s celebrate 바카라사이트 ideas that come from our university¡¯s innovators and 바카라사이트 benefits 바카라사이트y bring to 바카라사이트 UK. Let¡¯s continue to play our part in creating 바카라사이트 ecosystem we need for commercialisation to thrive. But let¡¯s also work toge바카라사이트r to lobby for public investment in 바카라사이트 type of infrastructure needed to realise 바카라사이트 huge potential in our regions and really level up 바카라사이트 UK.

Sue Hartley is vice-president for research and innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield.