News
Aitua launched on Babraham Research Campus
2 April 2007
Aitua Limited the life science IP commercialisation company was launched today as the new brand for Babraham BioConcepts. Aitua was founded in June 2006 as a joint venture between Babraham Bioscience Technology (“BBT”) and Avlar BioVentures Limited (“Avlar”) to bring investment expertise to the process of identifying intellectual property (IP) with commercial value, and to provide seed finance. Its focus is on a few high quality opportunities which can be supported from company creation to a clear exit. This is a fundamentally different approach to traditional spin-out formation and is the basis for creating value in Aitua.
Aitua’s, CEO, Dr Catherine Beech said “This is a very exciting time for Aitua. We will work closely with entrepreneurs and scientists to create and nurture emerging companies from world-class science and technology to create real value. As well as seed funding, we will provide specific expertise and access to services and facilities. This innovative business model is designed to lower the barriers to the formation of high quality early-stage companies.”
Commenting on the change, Dr David Hardman, CEO of BBT said, “Since its formation last summer, Aitua has made tremendous progress both in the maturity of its portfolio and in making two new investments. It is clearly the right time to develop a distinctive new identity. The Babraham Institute and the Babraham Research Campus is currently undergoing a period of huge investment, growth and development. The ongoing relationship with Aitua will continue to strengthen, not only because of the 10 year pipeline agreement in place with the Institute, but also because many of Aitua’s portfolio companies are situated on site and make use of BBT’s services and world class bioincubator facilities provided on the Babraham Research Campus.”
The Babraham Institute is a charitable life sciences research organisation, sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (“BBSRC”). It carries out world-leading research and advanced training relevant to the biomedical, biotechnological, pharmaceutical and healthcare communities and underpins the healthcare responsibility of the BBSRC.
BBT is a wholly-owned trading subsidiary of the Babraham Institute. It develops the infrastructure of the Babraham Research Campus to promote start-up and early stage bioventures, and manages its knowledge transfer remit. The campus provides bespoke accommodation for bioventures.