That the Parliament welcomes the announcement by the University of Aberdeen of a new strategy to boost innovation and drive new business creation; understands that this policy will see the university take equity shares in new businesses at rates as low as 5%, compared with the previous minimum rate of 21%, with future arrangements taking a sector-specific approach that considers the level of university investment in the underpinning research and nature or extent of the intellectual property; further understands that this approach will make the University of Aberdeen one of the first universities in Scotland and the UK to introduce key recommendations from the recent independent review of university spin-outs by Professor Irene Tracey and Doctor Andrew Williamson; believes that this move can play a part in extending the university's track record and reputation for investment in life sciences spin-outs into other sectors, such as green energy and digital technology, and hopes that the new strategy will be a success for both the university and the new businesses that it partners with as a result.
Supported by:
Karen Adam, Clare Adamson, Colin Beattie, Jackie Dunbar, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Annabelle Ewing, Kenneth Gibson, Emma Harper, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, Ruth Maguire, Stuart McMillan, Paul Sweeney, Evelyn Tweed