Celebrating Imperial’s enterprising community at the Big Summer Social

Imperial’s innovators, creators and impact-makers marked an impressive year for the College’s Enterprise Ecosystem at the Big Summer Social last week.

The event celebrated the achievements and contributions of people across Imperial who work on or support the creation of impact through translation – by starting and growing companies, working with industry partners on research or consultancy projects, mentoring, coaching, providing workspaces and building entrepreneurial skills and mindset.

Organised by Imperial Enterprise and Advancement, the Big Summer Social welcomed company founders, investors, alumni, industry partners and staff from across College to the White City campus for an evening of celebration that recognised the considerable efforts and personal contributions made by stakeholders throughout Imperial’s Enterprise Ecosystem.

At stands staffed by companies founded by Imperial alumni, attendees enjoyed caffeinated cocktails supplied by Rise Coffee, snacks enriched with cricket protein from Saved Food, and encapsulated spirits from Icenine Drinks.

Throughout the evening, screens inside and outside the venue shared over 60 highlights and insights drawn from Imperial’s considerable cast of entrepreneurs, consultants and industry collaborators.

Ecosystem highlights 2022 - 2023

• Consultancy projects delivered for more than 1100 organisations spanning 40+ countries and involving almost 600 academic staff
• New prosperity partnerships with BASF – to develop modern chemical manufacturing methods - and First Light Fusion – to explore a new method for fusion power
• Ceres Power listed on the main market of the LSE and won the MacRobert Award – the third company begun at Imperial to do so
• A standout performance from Imperial at the Mayor’s Entrepreneur Competition – 60% of finalists and three out of four winners
• 180+ new innovator partners during the year
• A host of new spinout formations and fundraisings, including MintNeuro, OSSTEC, About Energy, Biocentis and GlioQuell
• Contribution to USIT guide – developing a landing zone for negotiations on spinout formation with leading UK universities and investors
• The tenth annual Venture Catalyst Challenge, which gave away £100,000 in non-dilutive funding
• The close of the second round of Imperial College Enterprise Funds. Companies receiving seed investment from these funds have gone on to raise over £25 million in follow-on funding.
• Imperial Business Partners clocked up 20 members
• A new purpose-built home for the Imperial White City Incubator with the management team at its heart, so they can closely support Member companies as they grow
• 30 signatories to the Imperial Entrepreneur’s Pledge
• WE Invent, a ring-fenced patent budget to support women inventors
• The third annual London Demo Day, featuring student innovators from Imperial, UCL, London School of Economics and King’s

Recognising the community

The event opened with a series of speeches, beginning with an introduction from President of Imperial College London, Professor Hugh Brady.

In his speech, Professor Brady welcomed the students, staff, alumni, partners and supporters who make up Imperial’s enterprise ecosystem, and called attention to an environment teeming with people actively involved in startups or working with industry partners.

Professor Brady praised Imperial’s connectivity across campuses, disciplines and modes of engagement, sharing insights from a first year in office that has taken in visits to Japanese partners Mitsubishi and Hitachi, a US trip to Boston and New York City with a group of Imperial startups and spinouts, and a deep dive into departments and lab groups across Imperial campuses.

Professor Brady said, “What makes our ecosystem so special is the combination of multidisciplinary research, academic and student founders, big corporate partners and work on policy, all underpinned by a network of specialist tech transfer, commercialisation and marketing professionals.  I’m delighted that so many of the people involved are here tonight.”

Next was alumna Shefali Bohra, Co-founder of DotPlot, an at-home breast health monitoring startup. DotPlot won Imperial’s biggest startup competition, the Venture Catalyst Challenge, in 2022. Speaking about her experience of starting a company from a product design background, Shefali highlighted the influential role of Imperial Enterprise Lab, saying, “Enterprise Lab enables us to unleash the potential we have in order to make a change – and deliver. They work with you all the way in order to instil a mindset that lets you take calculated risks and make decisions at the most unknown verticals of the business.”

As well as being an award-winning entrepreneur, Shefali is one of the 30 Imperial founders to have made the Imperial Entrepreneur’s Pledge since it launched just over a year ago. The pledge is an opportunity for Imperial founders to ‘pay it forward’ by pledging to make a philanthropic gift to Imperial to support the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.

Finally, Dr Simon Hepworth, Director, Imperial Enterprise, highlighted the work that goes on behind the scenes to create opportunities for everyone at College. Speaking about Imperial Enterprise, he said, “We’re embedded in the faculties, we’re the tech transfer office, the entrepreneurship centre, the consultancy company, the incubator, the advanced hackspace – you name it, we do it. Our goal is to help the community address real-world challenges, to inspire them to think in entrepreneurial ways and to make new impact with the expertise we have here at Imperial.”

Get involved in Imperial’s Enterprise Ecosystem

• Are you interested in starting a company or working with industry at Imperial?
• Do you want to mentor companies founded at Imperial and help them realise their ambitions?
• Want to explore academic collaboration, consultancy or technology licensing?
• Do you want to sign up to the Imperial Entrepreneur’s Pledge?

 Contact Imperial Enterprise today to learn more and get involved.