Special Considerations
Before any ETTC @ Informatics occupancy can be offered there are a number of significant issues that must be considered. An overview of these issues is provided below.
Is There a Relationship Between the Host School and the Prospective Incubatee?
An existing relationship between the nascent company and the host School is essential. It will inform the School with regard to the role it may play in incubating the company. However, it will also inform the prospective incubatee as to what space is available within the host School.
Does the University Support the Proposed ETTC @ Informatics Occupancy Deal?
First and foremost, space within the Schools of the College of Science and Engineering is for research and teaching. A particular space will only be made available to the Edinburgh Technology Transfer Centre for ETTC @ Informatics occupancies if the demand from the School for research and teaching activities can be met elsewhere. As such, the University must be consulted in order that in can consider its space plan.
Can Intellectual Property Considerations be Managed Appropriately?
ETTC @ Informatics occupancies expose both incubatees and the University to the risk of compromising intellectual property positions – the incubatees', the University’s or both. Consideration must be given to whether a School’s activities might compromise the University’s intellectual property position if a third-party company was present. Schools are not set up to house third-party companies – both physically and in terms of their procedures. If there is a danger that the University’s intellectual property position might be compromised by an ETTC @ Informatics occupancy within a particular School, that deal will not be done.
What Plans Does the Prospective Incubatee Have for Progress?
Whilst it is recognised that the incubation process for ETTC @ Informatics incubatees may be slower than the conventional timeframe, this has to be balanced with the fact that the University’s time-horizon as far as its space plan is concerned. ETTC @ Informatics occupancies do not offer long-term security and prospective incubatees should consider where they may relocate to should the University need its space back at the end of a year or two.
The Edinburgh Technology Transfer Centre will facilitate the answering of most of these questions as promptly as possible. However, prospective incubatees are urged to establish a relationship with a senior academic, at the very least.