Helsinki and Xinova pool for commercialisation drive

Helsinki Innovation Services, the tech transfer office of University of Helsinki, has teamed up with US-based innovation network Xinova to open access to global markets for university researchers and spinouts.
The pact will connect Helsinki’s ecosystem with international investors, development experts and commercial partners. Xinova currently has offices in the US, Japan, China, Singapore, India, South Korea and Australia.
Helsinki claims to be the first European university to closely partner Xinova. The pair previously collaborated to source investment for Helsinki cancer vaccine spinout Valo Therapeutics and secure Michael Stein as the spinout’s executive chairman.
Xinova was officially incorporated in 2016 by its chief executive Edward Jung as a spinout of Intellectual Ventures, an intellectual property (IP)-focused investment firm which Jung also co-founded.
The firm maintains a database of invention requests submitted by commercial partners for fulfilment by its community of innovators.
Jari Strandman, chief executive of Helsinki Innovation Services, said: “Venture capitalists are few and far between. Even fewer of them have the skills, experience and contacts required to boost new companies onto the global market.
“Xinova’s contacts open exciting opportunities to reach international investors and to find key personnel and partners for newly-established companies.”
Jung added: “Finland has long been recognised for its research and innovation excellence, and University of Helsinki is one of the world’s leading research institutions. This partnership will internationalise more of these transformative ideas to positively impact the lives of millions.”