UK's top academic institutions recognizes Southampton as a leading hub for new businesses and research spins
The Royal Academy of Engineering's latest report, "Spotlight on Spinouts," has identified the University of Oxford as the top UK university for launching startup companies. The Oxford institution has generated 225 spinouts since 2011, maintaining its leading position in both volume and investment activity.
The report also highlights that only ten universities are responsible for 53% of all UK spinouts, indicating a concentration among a small group of institutions. While the exact ranking of the top 20 universities for 2024 is not fully listed in the excerpts, Oxford clearly takes the top spot. Other institutions, typically major research-intensive universities with strong innovation and commercialization support, are not explicitly named in the search results but are generally included in the top 20.
The University of Southampton, another prominent institution, has also made a significant impact in the startup scene. One of its spinout companies, OhmSpace, is working on an electric thruster for long-distance spacecraft to land on Mars or far-off asteroids, with the support of the British and European Space Agencies. Another Southampton-based startup, Absolar, leverages AI and industry expertise to provide critical information for making well-informed solar investment decisions.
The Royal Academy of Engineering's Enterprise Fellowship scheme is a 12-month deeptech accelerator that helps researchers and graduates turn cutting-edge engineering innovations into successful startups. The programme currently supports around 120 staff and students each year to turn their research into commercial businesses. Notable recipients of the fellowship include the founders of OhmSpace and Absolar.
In an information event run by the website, a startup founder on the RAEng Enterprise Fellowship program will provide insights, and the University of Southampton's tech company, Aquark Technologies, will showcase their portable and robust hardware for quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications. Interested individuals can book a space for the event or an informal call or meeting with the website team.
The commercial potential of pioneering research in university labs is maximized by enabling scientists and engineers to solve problems and build solutions, according to the Director of the website. Dr Alice Iles, Head of Tech Acceleration at the website, commented on the success of the RAEng Enterprise Fellowship applications.
In 2024, spinouts from UK universities secured a total of £2.6b worth of funding, according to the Royal Academy of Engineering report. Startups and spinouts working with the mentioned website have raised more than £78m and created nearly 400 jobs in the last five years. The University of Southampton has been named as one of the best in the UK for spinout companies, according to the report by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
[1] Source: Royal Academy of Engineering's "Spotlight on Spinouts" report 2025.
- The top UK university for launching startup companies since 2011 is the University of Oxford, according to the Royal Academy of Engineering's latest report titled "Spotlight on Spinouts."
- The Oxford institution has produced 225 spinouts and maintains a leading position in both volume and investment activity.
- A total of ten universities are responsible for 53% of all UK spinouts, showing a concentration among a small group of institutions.
- While the exact ranking of the top 20 universities for 2024 is not available, the University of Oxford is evidently in the top spot.
- Other research-intensive universities with strong innovation and commercialization support are generally included among the top 20.
- The University of Southampton is another prominent institution that has made a significant impact in the startup scene, with spinout companies like OhmSpace and Absolar.
- OhmSpace, a spinout from the University of Southampton, is developing an electric thruster for long-distance spacecraft to land on Mars or distant asteroids, supported by the British and European Space Agencies.
- Absolar, another Southampton-based spinout, utilizes AI and industry expertise to provide critical information for informed solar investment decisions.
- The Royal Academy of Engineering's Enterprise Fellowship scheme is a 12-month deeptech accelerator that supports around 120 researchers and graduates to transform engineering innovations into successful startups.
- Notable recipients of the fellowship include the founders of OhmSpace and Absolar.
- In the last five years, startups and spinouts associated with the mentioned website have raised over £78m and created nearly 400 jobs. The University of Southampton was named among the best in the UK for spinout companies, according to the Royal Academy of Engineering's "Spotlight on Spinouts" report in 2025.
