Duke University, North Carolina State University and UNC-Chapel Hill grew their cumulative spinout tally year-on-year but are set for challenging times ahead.
The number of spinouts launched in 2019 by Duke University, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill rose to 47 from 41 in the previous year, the Triangle Business Journal reported yesterday.
Patent filings at the trio fell by an annual 11% to 220, while licence agreements grew by almost 9% to 335. The universities reported more than 825 invention disclosures.
Judith Cone, vice-chancellor of innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development at UNC-Chapel Hill, said grants and economic dynamism had spurred innovation but warned of a possible relapse amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.
Cone hoped UNC’s healthcare and Covid-19 research would insulate it to some degree as depleted marketed stocks would likely impact private-sector funding.
The situation was of particular detriment to healthcare spinouts, Cone argued, as they often involve commercialisation challenges even in favourable economic conditions.
Cone told the Triangle Business Journal: “We…
