IP Group jumps into Princeton University’s pool of knowledge

IP Group, the UK-based developer of intellectual property (IP) based businesses, has signed a commercialisation agreement with Princeton University, which will focus on developing early-stage, proof of principle opportunities based on IP developed at the university.

The agreement covers a vast area of departments and will include all materials and clean technology, all life, medical and human sciences and information technology as well as electronics, communications and robotics.

IP Group had up until now signed agreements with British institutions only, making its first mark when it launched under the name IP2IPO and signed an agreement with Oxford University’s chemistry department in 2000. It has since deepened that relationship to include the entire institution. It also has partnerships with King’s College, London, Leeds University and Bristol University, among others.

Its most notable spin-out to date is Proximagen, a biopharmaceutical company focused on neurodegenerative diseases, and a spin-out from King’s College, London, which was acquired by US-based pharmaceutical company Upsher-Smith Laboratories for £356.8m ($597.8m) in 2012.

John F. Ritter, director of Princeton’s Office of Technology Licensing, said: “We are excited to be one of the first US universities to partner with IP Group. The collaboration will increase the potential for great companies to emerge from the innovative research at Princeton.”