Spin Out Club: Bridging the gap between academia and commercialisation
Academics, researchers, and graduates often have the potential to create startups but may lack the necessary expertise to commercialise their ideas. The Spin Out Club at the University of Bath aims to bridge this gap by bringing researchers together to build a supportive community that inspires, nurtures, and supports each other on their entrepreneurial journeys.
The Spin Out Club at the University is a dedicated initiative for researchers and doctoral students with a strong entrepreneurial drive.
Held on campus and in the city centre of Bath, it is a monthly opportunity for these likeminded individuals to come together to gain knowledge, share experience, and receive guidance on turning their research into commercial ventures.
With a focus on collaboration and learning, the club offers a space for members to connect with experts, gain valuable insights, and navigate the challenges of turning innovative ideas into successful ventures.
Co-founded by Pete Keevill, Entrepreneur in Residence at SETsquared Bath, and Professor Jonathan Knight, the club is an important part of the University’s enterprise offering, playing a vital role in the institution’s aim to support startups that tackle regional and national challenges.
“My hope for the Spin-Out Club is to create a thriving community where ideas can flourish, and where researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals can come together to make a lasting impact on the world."
Peter Keevill | Entrepreneur in Residence
Peter Keevill began his entrepreneurial journey in 2004 where he was a leading member of founding Ubiquisys, a startup that developed and deployed small cells to improve mobile network coverage.
After leaving the business in 2015, Pete went on to work with the Sustainable Technology Business Acceleration Hub at SETsquared Bristol, supporting startups and member organisations and, it was during this time he recognised the gap between academia and commercialisation.
After joining the University of Bath, also part of the SETsquared enterprise partnership, Pete developed the Spin-Out Club. This provides researchers with the tools and confidence to collaborate with entrepreneurs, and industry professional and create lasting impacts in the world.
“The University of Bath is excellent support for student enterprise but there is a gap around staff progression and journeys, and I would like change that.”
Peter Keevill | Entrepreneur in Residence
" The Spinout Club intends to facilitate the creation and growth of self-sustaining initiatives in the form of spinout businesses."
Professor Jonathan Knight | Department of Physics
Professor Jonathan Knight took up the post of Vice-President for Enterprise at the University in August 2021. He believes that the University of Bath’s expertise can be leveraged to help businesses grow and create successful spinouts that contribute to increasing the UK’s innovation landscape and economic prosperity.
With industries increasingly requiring diverse skills, technical founders, and a growing desire from the UK government for applied research, the Spin Out Club is key to empowering aspiring entrepreneurs.
The Spin Out Club meets once a month over food and drinks, offering a relaxed environment for learning and networking.
Each session features short talks from guest speakers, selected by Pete, who share their entrepreneurial experiences. Faculty members also give talks, outlining the various forms of support and resources they offer to help members on their entrepreneurial journeys.
Throughout the session, there are many opportunities to ask questions and tap into the expertise of fellow members. The event concludes with a dedicated networking time, allowing members to continue discussions in an informal, social setting.
Since its launch in October 2024, the Spin Out Club has steadily built momentum to become a community hub for entrepreneurs at the University. With each session, the club strengthens connections and empowers members to turn their innovative ideas into successful commercial ventures.
“The Spin Out Club provides fantastic opportunity to connect with others on similar entrepreneurial journeys in a supportive environment. It’s a great place to seek advice and tackle the challenges of turning research into a business.”
Professor Millicent Stone | Department of Life Sciences
Introducing the Tech Transfer Team
The Spinout Club also provides a forum to highlight the numerous ways that the University of Bath supports entrepreneurs, including support from the Tech Transfer Team, which works with academic staff and graduates to commercialise their research, taking it to the marketplace and wider society.
The Technology Transfer team assists with identifying research that has commercial potential, protecting intellectual property, developing commercial strategies and working with SETsquared Bath Innovation Centre for company support and funding.
“The Technology Transfer team at the University of Bath has been engaged with the Spinout Club since its inception, to offer our support services to entrepreneurial academics.”
Meet some of the members of the Spin Out Club
Dario Cazzola
Dr Dario Cazzola was mentored by Pete Keevill in the early stages of his journey and went on to establish his own spinout company Forceteck in 2023.
Forcetek is a sport analytics company that transports the way performance is measured and optimised in professional sport. The company has benefited from collaborations with the University Bath’s Department of Health and the Centre for the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research, and Applications (CAMERA), gaining valuable data insights to advance sports technology.
“My mentorship received in the early days from Pete Keevill was extremely useful to solidify the value proposition and go-to-market strategy”
Vimal Dhokia
Another member of the club is Professor Vimal Dhokia, Deputy Head of Mechanical Engineering and Director of Knowledge Exchange for the Faculty of Engineering and Design.
Vimal co-founded Gen3D, a startup specialising in software for designing complex parts for 3D printing. Launched in 2018, Gen3D offers design software and consultancy to help engineers create components for additive manufacturing.
Gen3D received vital support from the University of Bath's Research and Impact Services (RIS), both during its spinout phase and subsequent acquisition by Altair.
“We started with a research idea, turned it into an amazing product, and along the way worked with some brilliant people.”
The University of Bath has had many successful spin out companies which have developed from commercialising research.
Prothea Technologies
Spun out in 2024, Prothea Technologies is a private medical technology company with a vision to offer lung cancer biopsy and treatment in a single hospital visit.
Revolver Theraputics
Spun out in 2023 and focuses on developing cancer treatments that target transcription factors.
IngeniumAI
Spun out in 2022 and develops software integrated within healthcare systems to help clinicians diagnose diseases more quickly.
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