Rapid Spinout Pilot

We’re piloting Rapid Spinout, a new, dynamic spinout pathway designed for University of Edinburgh academics with research that has a clear route to reach the market and potential to raise investment within 6-12 months.

Rapid Spinout Pilot banner

The Edinburgh Innovations (EI) Venture Creation team is piloting a new, dynamic spinout pathway designed for University of Edinburgh academics with research that has a clear route to reach the market and potential to raise investment within 6-12 months.

This pilot complements our existing support for spinouts and company creation. It offers an additional option for projects where the route to application is already clear, and where rapid, timely and practical support can help accelerate progress and impact.

The pathway is particularly well suited to research that could translate into:

  • Products and services based on software, data or digital solutions
  • Social enterprise and impact driven businesses that commercialise physical products or evidenced-informed solutions such as education or training toolkits, psychoeducation and wellbeing solutions, that are not necessarily software-based 

Please know this list is not exhaustive - please read the section below and if still unsure, please submit your idea via the link at the bottom of the page. 

You don’t need prior experience of company formation. What matters is a strong understanding of the potential application of your work, an interest in exploring commercial opportunities, and the ability to commit time and energy to work with us to shape the next stage. The pilot will launch in late April 2026. 

 

What we are looking for

More detail is provided in the FAQs, but in summary we are looking for opportunities that satisfy the following criteria:

  • Intellectual Property: underpinned by domain expertise and definable know-how and/or copyright-based IP developed at least in a significant part at the University of Edinburgh. This excludes patent-heavy research.
  • Market readiness: must have a clear route to market and potential to raise investment - or where appropriate go to market - within 6-12 months.
  • Barriers to market: must have no significant barriers to market, particularly regulatory or supply chain related.
  • Founder profile: has the drive and ability to commit time above and beyond their normal duties and have a contract in place for at least 12 months from the start of the pilot. 

Some examples of suitable ideas are a research grade SaaS tool for managing laboratory workflows, an AI devtool, an EdTech tool supporting neurodivergent young people, or a training toolkit that equips charities with the skills to run co-design projects.  

 

What this pilot offers

Participating founders will receive:

  • A clearly structured route to enable company formation
  • Personalised, time-efficient support tailored to your research
  • Commercial terms that algin with USIT guidelines, including 5-10% University equity
  • Access to advice, networks and early-stage funding opportunities

The emphasis is on momentum and practical progress – while maintaining the same professional standards, expertise and partnership approach that underpin all our venture creation activity.

Our established spinout and venture creation pathways remain fully in place. This pilot reflects how we are evolving our support to meet the diverse ways of research generates impact – offering different routes depending on the nature, readiness and ambition of the project.

Deadline 20th May 2026

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