Commercialising Research: A Panel Discussion

Outline

This recorded seminar featured the experiences of successful entrepreneurs who have taken their academic research into a commercial setting by establishing a spin-out company. Chaired by Judith Stamper, the panel shared their experiences and discussed their ventures in an informal setting with a web-audience including researchers from across the UK and USA. Active audience participation was encouraged, resulting in an interesting and entertaining debate.

Watch this video

The Panel

Professor Simon Biggs, Leeds BNFL Research Alliance and Royal Academy of Engineering Professor of Particle Science and Technology, University of Leeds.

Working in the area of colloid and particle science for over twenty years, Simon has established Chamelic Limited, a company developing stimulus-responsive polymers, primarily for smart coating applications. Its first product to market is an easy-clean coating which can be used on a variety of surfaces, such as metals, glass and plastics.

Professor Peter Styring, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, University of Sheffield.

Peter has managed to successfully combine one of his hobbies with his academic work. A keen skier, he established Wildfire Snowsports Limited to commercialise his work on microfluidics. Its range of self-waxing systems for skis and snowboards has been outperforming the best race skis currently available.

Professor Richard Williams, Anglo American plc Professor of Mineral & Process Engineering and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for enterprise, knowledge transfer and international strategy, University of Leeds.

Richard is a serial entrepreneur, with several spin-outs based on his research. Most recently he is one of the academics behind Dispersia Limited, a specialist heat transfer company with expertise in nanofluids. Dispersia’s main activity is the formulation of heat transfer fluids, offering customers the opportunity to reduce their energy consumption whilst increasing heat transfer for heating or cooling purposes. Dispersia’s markets are diverse, ranging from industrial heat transfer fluids to medical and nanoscale devices.

The Panel Chair

Judith Stamper Programme Head of Broadcast Journalism; Senior Teaching Fellow in Broadcast Journalism, University of Leeds.

Judith is an experienced television journalist. For several years she was a presenter of BBC2’s The Money Programme and BBC North's daily evening news and current affairs programme, Look North.

Watch this video.