Enterprise activity breaks £5m

02 September 2009

Throughout the year, 'Enterprise' magazine has highlighted the range and quality of knowledge exchange activity that has taken place across the University and with a wide variety of clients from the private, public and Third Sectors.  This hard work has been converted into impressive figures that show sales of £5,106,255.00, breaking the £5m mark for the first time.

This figure represents annual growth of 4.04% (our 5th consecutive year of growth) and cumulative growth over the past five years (against 2003/4 out-turn) of 117%.

While knowledge exchange activity, in all its forms, is strong across the University, the Faculty of Technology and Environment again sets the pace and a £2m annual turnover is looking highly likely for 2010/11.

Other 2008/09 headlines include:

• Commercialisation activity (that is, activity focused on capitalising on the Intellectual Property of our student and staff communities) - that shows a healthy 94 disclosures with 7 protected and 7 commercialised technologies.
• KTP activity - that added a further £589k including the UK’s first 'short KTP'.
• Student enterprise activity - that showed continued growth. Entrepreneurship training was provided to over 600 LJMU students, the high profile and popular 'start-up network' was built, bespoke business start up advice was made available and over 30 graduate start-up businesses were awarded fellowships. All in all, a comprehensive and high quality service was provided to our budding and flourishing entrepreneurs.

Jon Barrett, LJMU’s Director of Commercial and Enterprise Development, said: "Our knowledge exchange activity is driven by the principle of ‘return on investment’.  This broadly relates to four issues: the benefits knowledge exchange activity affords our students and staff communities; the value of the support we offer our clients; the enhancement of our reputation; and the generation of income.

"It is encouraging to see that we continue to deliver on these measures, despite the difficult  economic climate, and while the year ahead will no doubt be challenging, our business in train makes us well placed to continue this strong performance.  

"On behalf of the whole of the Business Development Centre, my thanks to colleagues across the University for your hard work and support over the past 12 months and we look forward to working with you in the new financial year."

For more information, please contact Jon Barrett on: 07968 422558 or email: j.barrett@ljmu.ac.uk