Technology Scouting, Investment & Mentoring

H2O provides a unique mechanism by which blue-chip corporate partners can identify and engage with technology emerging from the publicly-funded research base, at a point far earlier than would otherwise be possible. We achieve this in two stages: (i) through our technology scouting service; and where appropriate (ii) through our ability to invest in and mentor early stage technologies through to a point where the corporate partner can more readily engage with it.

Early projects with partners in the petrochemical and pharmaceutical sectors have demonstrated the value of this joined up process, and we are keen to talk to potential partners in these and other sectors.

Technology Scouting

One way in which H2O is building its investment pipeline is by working alongside corporate partners to scout systematically for the most attractive technology IP in a given sector from across the whole of the publicly funded research base - IP that addresses the commercial and technical challenges identified by the industrial partner.  We operate across all Institutions and because we have no exclusive institutional links we act truly independently to identify the best IP.

The scouting service, which is conducted at cost, generates an in-depth snapshot of the IP landscape of a particular field of interest, together with H2O’s opinion of the commercial potential of the different technologies measured by the specific commercial priorities advised by the corporate partner. To this process H2O brings a broad-base of technology expertise with proven commercial skills in early-stage technology companies, and a deep, active network of contacts both within the premier UK research universities and the technology investment community.

Investment & Mentoring

For each technology identified, the review enables the corporate partner to take informed decisions, from approaching the relevant research institution for a license, through to no further action.

Where technologies are deemed potentially valuable, but at too early a stage for the R&D or Venturing arm of the partner to straightforwardly engage with, a third option is to work with H2O to approach the research institution to establish a spinout company around the IP using H2O’s standard investment model, and benefiting from H2O’s core competency in technology entrepreneurship. H2O is therefore uniquely positioned not only to undertake the IP scouting but also to lead the subsequent early stage commercial and technical development of attractive IP.

In short, technology scouting provides a risk-free mechanism for the corporate partner to identify and secure the earliest access to transformative, early-stage IP residing in research institutions. This provides a strong competitive advantage to the partner. And Research Institutions benefit from interaction we facilitate with our top tier corporate partners, and our ability substantially to support the spinout development process.

H2O is keen to engage with world-leading companies in all business sectors. For further information please contact Dr. Anna Obolensky.