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Oxford Sciences Innovation is an early-stage venture capital firm with $600M in AUM based in Oxford, UK.[1] It operates in partnership with the University of Oxford, as the University's preferred investor, several prominent financiers back the firm, including Google Ventures and Sequoia Capital.[2] The firm uses academic research from the university's science departments to form commercial businesses, also known as spin-outs.[3][4][5]

Oxford Sciences Innovation
Company typeVenture Capital
IndustryVenture Capital
PredecessorIP Group
Headquarters
Oxford
,
UK
Key people
Charles R. Conn David Norwood
Websitewww.oxfordsciencesinnovation.com

Founding & Management

The company was founded in 2015 by David Norwood, who was previously the founder of the IP Group, which initially invested only in spinoffs from the university's Chemistry department.[6] Oxford Sciences Innovation initially raised £600m from investors, which included Lansdowne Partners and  Google Ventures.[7][8][9][10] Google Ventures partners Tom Hulme and Dr Krishna Yeshwant also joined OSI's advisory board, along with Google AI researcher Demis Hassabis, founder of DeepMind.[7][11]

Charles Conn, previously CEO of the Rhodes Trust, was appointed CEO in March 2019. Former Google CFO Patrick Pichette joined him as Board Director.[6]

Structure

OSI is structured differently from other venture capital firms, being an evergreen patient capital, privately held company and not bound by an LPA .[12][13][14] As such, the company holds long-term investments, pursuing a patient capital model. OSI differentiates itself from classic venture firms because of its relationship with the university.[15] Unlike most university-linked venture firms, Oxford University is a shareholder in the company, with OSI receiving half of the university's stake in the intellectual property of a spinout.[16]

OSI works with the University's technology transfer office, Oxford University Innovation, which helps manage the intellectual property and patent estate of the University.[17]

In July 2019, The company announced an investment from Chinese telecommunications company Huawei owns £4.1m in OSI shares (approximately 0.7% of the total fund).[18]

References

  1. ^ "$474M Fund Will Support Oxford University Spinouts". TechCrunch. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Backing from Google Ventures drives Oxford Uni spinout fund past £300M target". FierceBiotech. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  3. ^ "The Valley of Death: the students vying to be millionaires". The Telegraph. 18 March 2018. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  4. ^ "UK universities getting better at commercialising research". www.newelectronics.co.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  5. ^ "City tycoon Spencer backs £70m blood-testing start-up Osler". Sky News. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Oxford Sciences Innovation Plc appoints new CEO and Chairman; prepares for next phase of growth | University of Oxford". www.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  7. ^ a b Burn-Callander, Rebecca (19 June 2015). "Google and Charles Dunstone back Oxford University spin-out fund". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  8. ^ Matters, Business (13 June 2018). "Metaboards secures $5 million in funding led by Oxford Sciences Innovation". Business Matters. Retrieved 13 September 2019. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ McKee, Selina (3 September 2018). "Evox raises £35m for exosome therapeutics". PharmaTimes. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  10. ^ Ward, Andrew (10 May 2016). "Oxford biotech deals highlight stature of UK university spinouts". Financial Times. Retrieved 13 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Price, Rob. "Google's European venture capital fund just made its second investment". Business Insider. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  12. ^ "The missing ingredient in innovation: patience". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  13. ^ Ahmed, Murad (1 November 2015). "Patient capital overtakes VC for UK tech groups". Financial Times. Retrieved 13 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Patient capital overtakes VC for UK tech groups". Financial Times. Retrieved 13 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ "Big deal: OSI grows to $730m - Global University Venturing". globaluniversityventuring.com. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  16. ^ UK, Shona Ghosh, Business Insider. "An Oxford University artificial intelligence startup has raised £17 million to check code for errors". Business Insider. Retrieved 13 September 2019. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ March 2019, Clare Sansom20. "Nurturing the next biotech generation". Chemistry World. Retrieved 13 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Fildes, Nic (October 2019). "Huawei buys access to UK innovation with Oxford stake". Financial Times. Retrieved 8 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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