2020 is on track to be record-breaking for the ecosystem despite covid causing global upheaval
Something intriguing is afoot in the world of tech transfer: despite the pandemic, the third quarter of the year has seen the highest dealflow since June 2018 (when GUV tracked 119 investments). Notable, too, is the fact that June has tended to be a month of heightened activity, but the 108 deals actually occurred in July – a delay caused, most likely, by the challenges that working remotely caused for a few weeks before researchers and tech transfer staff had adapted.
Something else is noteworthy about 2020 thus far, too: three months have seen more than 100 deals: April, June and July. It has brought the number of deals for the year to 715, compared with the 954 for all of 2019. Activity dropped off slightly in August and September year-on-year, but the numbers confirm what several heads of units have told GUV on its podcast: the pandemic has had…
Thierry Heles
Thierry Heles is the editor of Global University Venturing, host of the Beyond the Breakthrough interview podcast and responsible for the monthly GUV Gazette (sign up here for free).
