Investing in university spinouts [2024] – Alun Williams, Parkwalk Advisors – Meet the manager

Commercialising the intellectual property arising from research is an increasing priority for UK universities. Parkwalk Advisors specialises in investing in university spinouts. Sourcing its deals primarily from Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College and Bristol universities, Parkwalk has backed over 160 companies in its 15 years of operation. We meet biochemist-turned-investor Alun Williams to find out more. In this interview:

0:00 Who are Parkwalk Advisors?
1:54 What do Parkwalk’s funds aim to offer investors?
3:43 What kind of companies does Parkwalk invest in?
5:07 What makes a university spinout investable?
5:50 Where does Parkwalk source its investments?
7:17 What does a typical investment round look like?
8:08 Is the economic environment changing how Parkwalk invests?
9:21 Investing in Oxford Endovascular (flow diverters to treat aneurysms)
12:29 Investing in Moa Technologies (next-generation herbicides)
14:35 Investing in Mind Foundry (applied machine learning for critical industries)
16:07 Exits, including PetMedix
17:34 How risky is investing in university spinouts?
18:47 Summary: why invest in spinouts with Parkwalk?

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IMPORTANT
The opinions expressed in this video are the interviewee’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Wealth Club Limited. This interview, like our service, is not advice and the products featured are not suitable for everyone. EIS investments are high risk and illiquid. You could lose your capital. Tax rules can change and tax benefits depend on your circumstances. If you’re unsure an investment is right for you, please seek professional advice.