A practical way to break down barriers to innovation

Alison Campbell

Earlier this year, a group of UK universities embarked on an exciting project to share their intellectual property. The idea was to encourage companies and entrepreneurs to take technology development risks, which traditional licensing arrangements may have discouraged.

Through the scheme, Easy Access IP, some early-stage IP from across the portfolios of the universities of Glasgow, Bristol and King’s College London is given free to companies. The aim is to maximise partnerships with industry, simplify university-business contracts and boost the transfer of academic knowledge for public good.