Research reports

This discussion paper aims to stimulate debate and the development of innovative approaches which help women entrepreneurs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to secure investments which support the development and the growth of their spinouts and start-ups companies.

This short exploratory study seeks to learn more about the innovation culture at the RCA to understand why this institution has a higher proportion of women founded spinouts than any other university in the UK. Funded by an internal grant from Oxford Brookes University, this research adds to the findings of the larger EPSRC project, 'Women in Spinouts: A Case for Action' by interviewing women spinouts from the RCA and creating a set of recommendations for institutions based on their experiences.

This report explores the preconceptions that early career researchers (ECRs) in STEM hold toward academic entrepreneurship and the commercialisation of research and innovation through spinout companies. It is the third and final report that documents the findings from the Women and Spinouts: A Case for Action project, funded by the EPSRC under its Inclusion Matters programme.

This report provides a snapshot of gender diversity in a sample of 110 companies, including 53 academic spinouts, selected from a list provided by Advanced Oxford of innovation/knowledge-based companies in Oxfordshire. Find out about the gender diversity of their leadership and director teams, the nationalities and average ages of founders, the amount of investment that companies with a woman founder receive and how some companies in Oxfordshire rate in their Gender Pay Gap Reporting.

Would you like to hear more about the barriers and enablers to spinning out?

Our report is based on interviews with women and men spinout founders and provides insights into the diverse experiences of researchers who have successfully founded a university spinout company and reflects on the challenges and successes along the way.

Did you know that only 13% of spinouts in the UK have one or more women founders?

This summary offers an overview of the university spinouts landscape in the UK and where women feature in the geography, governance and growth of these companies. The results are part of a wider project, funded by the EPSRC’s Inclusion Matters programme, looking at the participation of women scientists, engineers and mathematicians in spinouts. This analysis is based on 789 active spinouts in the UK originating from 82 academic institutions.

Find out more in our infographic looking at Gender and University Spinouts in the UK:

Want to know more about the UK spinouts landscape from a gender perspective?

This summary offers an overview of the university spinouts landscape in the UK and where women feature in the geography, governance and growth of these companies. The results are part of a wider project, funded by the EPSRC’s Inclusion Matters programme, looking at the participation of women scientists, engineers and mathematicians in spinouts. This analysis is based on 789 active spinouts in the UK originating from 82 academic institutions.