The Yorkshire Enterprise Fellowship (YEF) scheme was designed to help university researchers create a business based on their research, delivering practical support to commercialise ideas and research findings from universities in Yorkshire and the Humber. As part of the package of support, all fellows were allocated a personal mentor, paid for by the scheme. A total of 65 fellowships were awarded across disciplines of biosciences, chemicals and healthcare technologies, offering a fully-managed proof of concept support scheme.

Knowledge transfer from academia to the marketplace is often complex and the mentor was expected to help the fellow to define the most suitable route, be that spin-out, joint venture or licensing opportunity.

A broad range of technical areas were covered under the YEF programme, so we sought mentors with start-up experience and expertise in the relevant area, with a ‘hands-on’ approach to the development of small businesses.

Project review meetings were held quarterly during the fellowship year as part of their training. The mentor was required to attend these meetings together with a member of the YEF management team and university technology transfer staff. Between these formal review meetings, the fellow and mentor were expected to be in regular contact either by email, telephone or face-to-face meetings as required.

As part of their initial training, fellows were offered guidance on how to make best use of their mentor, what to expect and how to work efficiently.

The vast majority of our fellows reported an exceptionally good experience of the YEF mentor programme. Many fellows are still in regular contact with their mentor and firm friendships have been established. Despite now being outside the formal contract period, we are aware that several mentors are still working with the commercial ventures formed, often on an informal basis.

Case study: Professor Diana Anderson

Professor Diana Anderson of the University of Bradford initially applied to the YEF programme as a means of commercialising her research, to help her set up her own company. She was also keen to take advantage of the related training provided by the highly experienced YEF consultants and to gain further insight and support from an experienced mentor.

Her work focuses on the 3D UV Sensitivity Assay, a test which provides a means of identifying those at risk of developing cancer. The aim was to develop this important scientific innovation further through participation in the fellowship: firstly, to test if it could be used for a number of different cancers and secondly, to identify a potential commercial partner.

To date, Diana has been successful in identifying melanoma and colon cancer, which are important achievements in the medical field, and is now investigating lung cancer. From a commercial front, the course provided Diana with business acumen and commercial knowledge as well as a highly experienced mentor who helped direct her overall progression;

“Whilst on the Scheme, Dr Simon Ward was the best Mentor that I could wish for. He was always there to give a helping hand and advice and was a very necessary part of my progress.

“I knew he and I would get on straight away. He grasped the concept behind the assay immediately. We were well matched because he also has a background in toxicology. I found him extremely helpful and very wise. I could not have wished for a more appropriate mentor for me.”