Commercialising Research FAQ's
Here’s some additional information that might help. Or, if you’d prefer to have a conversation with the AUT Ventures team, feel free to contact us directly.
AUT Ventures is funded by AUT/KiwiNet.
AUT Ventures uses funding from KiwiNet to explore whether AUT research has commercial potential. KiwiNet is an MBIE-funded organisation which supports commercialisation in universities and public science research organisations.
Both AUT Ventures and KiwiNet can then invest in commercialising the IP to the point of it launching as a spinout or being licensed to an existing business.
New spinouts also tend to need private investors. AUT Ventures and KiwiNet do not invest into spinout companies themselves. Our investment instead develops the IP to the point of it becoming investor ready.
AUT shares any financial benefits from successfully commercialised IP with its creators.
The IP creators receive a personal share in the net financial benefits of the commercialised IP. Net benefits are those which remain after AUT Ventures has covered the cost of commercialisation – which includes costs such as patenting and legal fees.
The creator share is variable and depends on factors such as the commercialisation model and the contribution of the creators to commercialisation.
Financial benefits are also shared with the IP creator’s school or department to support future research.
At AUT Ventures, we want to empower you as researchers to choose what approach works best for you:
Reach out to us. You can also check out our portfolio to get a feel for the projects being commercialised at AUT.
Commercialisation involves three distinct phases: Discover, Explore, and Develop. Discover involves the invention being disclosed to us and our initial appraisal of it. We work with you to identify its benefits and potential applications and assess whether it meets the requirements for Venture management. If it does, we move to the Exploration phase.
In the Explore phase, we strengthen the technical feasibility, market desirability, and business validity of your invention. We engage our industry partners to help develop your invention and expand your professional network.
Once the IP is protected and the invention developed, the venture moves into the Develop stage. It will be either licensed or sold to existing companies, or spun-out as a business. The business model depends on factors such as its IP and its market.
Commercialisation benefits are shared between you and the university. We work with you to ensure you reach a fair deal.
AUT Ventures would love to support all student entrepreneurs. However, our remit is to commercialise research IP developed at, and owned, by AUT. Students tend to own the IP generated during their studies. This means there are limited circumstances in which we invest in student IP.
- We can invest in commercialising research involving students if AUT owns all the IP. AUT tends to own research IP if the research received a grant or was driven by a staff member.
- We can invest in commercialising student-driven research if the student chooses to share their created IP with AUT.
The benefits of sharing your IP include receiving access to AUT Ventures’ funding and experience. Both funding and a broad set of technical and business skills will support your endeavour to succeed.
If you choose not to share your IP, we can still advise you on creating impact with your research and answer your IP-related questions.
Check out our Emerging Entrepreneur Resources page.
Reach out to us. You can also check out our Portfolio to get a feel for the inventions being commercialised at AUT.
Not sure what you need?
Get in touch with us to discuss where you are at and how we can help you to advance your project.