University of Bristol launches 12 social venture spinouts delivering real-world impact

Press release issued:

In less than two and a half years, the University of Bristol has launched 12 social venture spinouts, each one rooted in academic insight and driven by societal purpose.

Whereas traditional university spinouts are more commonly associated with Science, Technology and Engineering, what makes these companies different is that they originate from disciplines such as Social Sciences, Humanities, Arts for People and the Economy (SHAPE). 

A spinout company is a new company that is formed to apply academic research in a commercial context. 

What makes these emerging ventures relatable is passionate and driven founders who are focused on benefiting people, society and the planet in a very tangible and meaningful way.  

Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, said: “I am enormously proud of the impact these social venture spinouts are making through their academic research and their contribution to our wider commitment as a civic university.” 

Highlights of the University of Bristol’s SHAPE spinouts with national and global reach include: 

  • Affempreneurs, which empowers young women micro-entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa with business skills, financial resources and wellbeing support. 
  • Circular Agriculture Hub, which connects surplus produce from farmers to communities in need, thereby reducing waste and food insecurity. 
  • Good Grief Festival, which opens up conversations around death and bereavement through creative practices to provide support and community to those who need it most. 

Professor Michele Barbour, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Innovation at the University of Bristol and herself a spinout founder, said: “At Bristol we’ve built a culture where innovation and social purpose go hand in hand. Our social venture spinouts show what’s possible and it’s a powerful reminder of the impact universities can have.” 

The University of Bristol is well-positioned in this emerging space and have a built a commercialisation strategy for supporting SHAPE innovation. It hosts tailored initiatives for SHAPE researchers, in partnership with national programmes such as the ARC Accelerator, Aspect and ImpactU as well as having specific support within the Research Commercialisation team to support these emerging ventures. 

Robin Halpenny, Research Commercialisation Manager who leads on social venture spinouts at the University, said “It’s inspiring to see support for these ventures coming from across the University, and I feel lucky to work alongside passionate people who are setting out to improve the world around them.” 

Find out more about the University of Bristol’s SHAPE social venture spinouts in a new video: 

Further information

The University of Bristol has a rich history of research commercialisation and has been spinning out companies since the 1990s with a steadily increasing output. In recent years typically, typically four new spinout companies are created each year. 

Beauhurst, a company which runs a searchable database of the UK’s fastest-growing companies, has ranked Bristol 6th in the UK for the number of spinouts. 

Many spinout companies specialise in technological advances, and the University of Bristol is no exception, with companies thriving in fields such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, clean energy, and health technology. 

SHAPE stands for Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and the Economy. These disciplines explore how people think, behave, create, organise and interact with the world around them. They generate insights into culture, society, policy, wellbeing, ethics, behaviour, identity and the economy. 

SHAPE commercialisation is the process of transforming research from these disciplines into real-world products, services, ventures or policy innovations. SHAPE commercialisation is typically centred on human-centred insights, social systems, behaviour change, cultural understanding and community or policy impact. 
This often leads to social ventures, charities, community-interest companies, or mission-driven businesses designed to deliver measurable benefit for people and planet. 

Source for Social Enterprise UK quote Facts and Figures | Social Enterprise UK