The investment company created by Midlands universities to support research spin-outs will eventually attract more funding than a similar venture run by institutions in the north of England, one of its founding vice-chancellors has claimed.
Recent news that Northern Gritstone, a venture capital outfit created by the universities of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, has secured £312 million in financial backing just over two years after its launch in July 2021 would seem to set a high bar for its Midlands counterpart, Midlands Mindforge, which was formed last year.
But Aleks Subic, vice-chancellor of Aston University, which has joined forces with the universities of Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham and Warwick, as well as Cranfield, Keele and Loughborough universities, told Times Higher Education that the funding goal was eminently achievable.
“It will surpass Northern Gritstone,” said Professor Subic. “With eight universities – including big universities – I think we should.”
