Innovation is a vital part of broader growth
Oxford’s innovation ecosystem has never felt more vital – to our region, our country, and globally. Our impact is reflected in vaccines and stroke recovery tools to clean energy and neuroinclusive design.
Oxford University Innovation (OUI) helps transform the University of Oxford’s world-leading knowledge and research into innovation-led impact that shapes industries and improves lives.
‘OUI’s support has been instrumental in enabling our research to have real-world impact. OUI has fostered long-term, trusting partnerships with leading healthcare companies, enabling us to ensure vital information reaches underserved communities.’
Professor Rebeccah Slater
Professor of Paediatric Neuroscience and Senior Wellcome Fellow, University of Oxford
Understanding our purpose: From University knowledge and research to innovation-led impact
At OUI everything begins with the University of Oxford’s world-leading knowledge and research. From this foundation, OUI enables knowledge exchange through consultancy and the development of new ideas that lead to licensing, creating new companies and supporting their ongoing growth. Together, these activities drive the innovation-led impact that both the University and OUI are committed to delivering.
Inputs
The University’s world-leading knowledge and research provide the inputs for OUI.
Activities
We use our expertise to transform these into tangible opportunities through our activities, including intellectual property (IP) identification and protection, communications and marketing, licensing, company creation and growth, and project services.
Outputs
From these activities emerge outputs, such as new companies formed, patents filed, technologies licensed, and partnerships brokered. OUI’s outputs are key metrics that help us measure progress towards our goal of global innovation-led impact and fostering collaboration across the innovation ecosystem.
Outcomes
Over time, OUI’s outcomes reflect the broader effects of the University’s knowledge and research: companies applying Oxford’s IP and knowledge grow their businesses, create jobs, attract investment, and expand access to breakthrough discoveries, bringing impactful products and services to market while generating financial returns that enable the University to invest in the next cycle of research.
Impact
Ultimately, these outcomes deliver meaningful change for the economy, people, and the planet. Each year, OUI surveys its portfolio companies to capture how their work is improving lives and addressing society’s most urgent challenges, as set out by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
OUI’s metrics 2024/25
Inputs: World-leading research and ideas from Oxford
University of Oxford Research income 2023/24
£778.9m
External research funding
£148m
Research income from industry
OUI’s input metrics 2024/25
279
Invention disclosures
961
Consulting Services enquiries
OUI’s input metrics (cumulative)
2008/09
2024/25
Consulting Services Enquiries
2000/01
2024/25
Invention Disclosures
Outcomes: Jobs created, investment attracted, global reach expanded
£18.5m
Financial returns to the University and its researchers*
263
Number of non-spinout companies who have active licences
748,000
Number of patients given a voice by healthcare questionnaires
*Distributions of royalty and consulting income to the University, researchers and third parties with a contractual right to revenue sharing during financial year 2024/25. Finances are preliminary results, unaudited
Impact: Meaningful change for people, planet, and the economy
74%
Companies have impact metrics defined
42%
Companies capture impact data
91%
Companies address UN SDGs
1,950m
Users of Oxford companies’ products/services
Source: OUI Impact surveys 2023-25
Outputs: New companies formed, technologies licensed
OUI’s output metrics 2024/25*
£489.8m
Total investment raised
£34.2m
Seed funding raised
£33m
Total income*
19
New companies formed with OUI support
93
New patents filed (first filing of any new invention)
1,173
Licensing deals
546
Unique consultancy clients
684
Consultancy contracts executed
OUI’s output metrics (cumulative)
2000/01
2024/25
Patents filed
1987/88
2024/25
New companies created since OUI was founded
2000/01
2024/25
Licensing deals
2009/10
2024/25
Consultancy contracts executed
Kind words from our partner
Our partnership with the University is key to our success, and is something we are committed to strengthening and growing every year. Together we can turn Oxford’s knowledge and research into global impact.
‘Oxford University Innovation has been instrumental in supporting my team and I through the formation of several spinouts this year - each with their own complexities involving external founders, investors, and collaborators. Their proactive approach, clear communication, and ability to navigate equity and policy matters with speed and precision made a real difference in securing early buy-in and moving swiftly towards investment.’
Professor Dame Molly Stevens
Oxford Academic Champion for Women and Diversity in Entrepreneurship
‘OUI helped CureHeart complete a game changing commercial agreement with the British Heart Foundation to develop nucleic acid-based medicines to address unmet needs in genetic heart muscle disease.’
Professor Hugh Watkins
Radcliffe Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford
‘StEP is an excellent complement to EnSpire - it provides students with the structure and support they need to test ideas, form teams, and build companies with impact. By opening pathways for different kinds of founders, StEP strengthens the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem and ensures Oxford students can take their rst steps towards building successful startups with confidence.’
Teodora Handrea
Head of Enspire Oxford
A message from our CEO
If you’ve been inspired by what you’ve read in our Impact Report 2025, we’d love to hear from you. To researchers and students: we’re here to enable your innovation journey. To investors, policymakers, and potential partners: we invite you to work with us to enable growth. Let’s make an impact – together.
Mairi Gibbs
CEO
Oxford University Innovation