The Higher Education - Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey gathers data on UK universities' engagement in the economy, knowledge exchange, and the wider application of their work.
The data shows 4,528 new spin-off and start-up companies were founded by graduates in 2020/21, a rise of 16% from the 2019/20 figure. These new companies contribute to a total of over 15,500 active graduate start-up firms employing over 46,000 people (full-time equivalent).
2,078 new patents were granted to HE providers in 2020/21. These contributed to a total portfolio of 24,035 patents, of which 12,929 are held overseas. Total revenues from intellectual property for the sector stood at £284 million in 2020/21.
