In its impact review, Edinburgh Innovations, the university’s commercialisation service, has announced that £56 million of a total £113m invested in university-associated companies went to spinouts – staff companies where the university retains intellectual property.

Many of these were ‘deep tech’ companies, built on complex technology platforms grown from years of scientific research, using advanced therapeutics and biotechnology to tackle issues in healthcare, for example.

Examples include Prothea Technologies, which began clinical trials last year for its technologies that aim to ‘see and treat’ lung cancer in one hospital visit; Concinnity Genetics, which launched with £3m for its gene control platform and Resolution Therapeutics, which dosed its first patient with a new cell therapy treatment for end-stage liver disease.

The report also highlights that 102 companies in the university’s in-house venture investment fund, Old College Capital, portfolio have created 1236 jobs to date.

For the first time, Edinburgh Innovations classified its innovation activity by the university’s three core missions: to shape the future of health and care; tackle the climate and environmental crisis and harness data, digital and AI for good.

It found that 65 per cent of staff and student companies formed this year were linked to the mission of data, digital and AI for good. Out of 64 companies total, these range from spinout CGEN Engineering, which won UK Clean Tech Startup of the Year for its modular generators for renewable energy, to student startup Qinara, which offers businesses quantum technology solutions.

The data supports national trends reported elsewhere, showing UK spinouts and deep tech companies remain robust in a difficult global climate for investment. The UK consistently places third in the world for VC investment in deep tech, second only to the US and China, with sources such as the Royal Academy of Engineering finding Edinburgh ranks highest outside the Golden Triangle of Oxford, Cambridge and London for such investment. Dealroom reports that the UK leads Europe in generating value from spinouts.

Dr Andrea Taylor, CEO of Edinburgh Innovations, said: “It’s fantastic to see the university’s excellence in deep tech and AI, particularly in the healthcare sphere, underscored by this report.

“Spinouts are a direct route to impact, bringing investment, reputational gain and jobs. In the best cases, they create societal change on a global scale, from advances in renewable energy to curing disease.

“Along with our tech transfer colleagues at other universities we are calling for more UK investment and government support for spinouts, at proof-of-concept stage, for example. And, at Edinburgh, we are exploring ambitious ways to build on these innovation successes during the year to come.”

Edinburgh’s commercialisation figures remained buoyant across the board, contributing to the university’s renewed ranking of first in the world for SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure in the Times Higher Education Impact rankings 2025, where measurement includes patents, research income from industry and number of spinouts.

Professor Liz Baggs, interim Vice Principal of Research and Innovation, said: “The University of Edinburgh is a beacon of knowledge and discovery, and this report sheds light on how we catalyse knowledge into change.

“The new figures show our Research and Innovation Strategy 2030 driving impact in our mission critical areas of climate, data and health, bringing economic and social benefits beyond the walls of the University. This year, we launched the Innovation Career Pathway, for academics wishing to focus on commercialisation and engagement with industry.  

“In partnership with Edinburgh Innovations, we are using our unique combination of expertise, infrastructure and purpose to unlock innovation for all.”