(NU/1433-27) iFAST: The Provision of Business Consultancy to Assist Commercialisation of University Research.

Newcastle, Sunderland, Northumbria, Durham, Teesside universities together with the University of Bath on behalf of the SETsquared Partnership (the Enterprise collaboration of the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey) and any other HE Institution that wishes to join this DPS, as detailed in the Office for Students Register, https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/the-register/the-ofs-register/ will engage suitably qualified and experienced executives through the DPS as and when required over the DPS period. The specific requirements will be detailed in each individual further competition. The typical brief of an executive will be to: (a) Produce a viable business plan; (b) Obtain university approval for the venture; (c) Act for the company in the spin-out legal process and address all company formation matters; (d) Provide to the appropriate university all matters necessary for Research England and ESIF reporting requirements; (e) Secure (venture capital and/or other) funding in accordance with the business plan. This will be a cyclical process throughout the entire Research England, and potential ESIF project along with any additional funding streams.