UMIP offers £1m to pump-prime graphene businesses

THE University of Manchester Intellectual Property (UMIP) commercialisation arm and the UMIP Premier Fund (UPF) have launched a £1m development funding call for people working with graphene.

The money being offered is proof-of-principle funds for taking graphene projects beyond a pure research towards commercialisation.

It said there were already a number of academics within the University working on proprietary graphene developments that have been part-funded by UPF.

Clive Rowland, CEO of UMI3, said: “With the news of the Government’s invitation for the university to be the sole bidder for the National Graphene Institute, we are keen to complement the amazing range of fundamental research and experimental activity carried out here by making additional funding available for colleagues across the campus who are interested in technology transfer.

“For example by scale-up of lab work, making devices, exploring routes to manufacture, applications, and market opportunities, registering intellectual property rights and ultimately commercialising their outcomes.

“Personal commitment to entrepreneurship is very much integral to this process and we will include enterprise training and mentoring as part of those projects which are successful submissions.”

Richard Henderson, managing partner of UMIP Premier fund manager MTI, said: ”MTI is delighted to continue to support the ground-breaking and innovative work in the commercialisation of graphene with The University of Manchester at the leading edge.”