King's College London

Derived from King’s research community and selected through a competitive process, the spinouts are advancing innovations in health, tech and security that will positively impact areas ranging from skin cancer prevention to virtual clinical placements.

What is the King’s Spinout Accelerator

The King’s Spinout Accelerator is a 12-month, transformative programme, guiding early-stage prospective spinouts in shaping robust commercial propositions.

Through experts-led masterclasses, skill development sessions and tailored coaching, the participating spinouts will explore commercial pathways, partnership opportunities, and implement evidence-based validation. The Accelerator also grants them access to a peer network and the King’s Investor Network, while providing desk space at the Entrepreneurship Institute offices.

The programme is delivered in partnership with King’s Innovation Catalyst, drawing together expertise from Translational Research Support, IP & Licensing and Industry Partnerships, to facilitate the creation of knowledge exchange, ventures and intellectual property. 

The lasting impact of the King’s Spinout Accelerator

King’s has a long history of successful technology transfer and commercialisation of research discoveries. The transformative nature of the Spinout Accelerator is directly measurable through the success of the first two cohorts’ ventures.

The Entrepreneurship Institute has supported 18 ventures to date. So far, four have proceeded to spinout and an additional two are presenting at commercialisation in the next couple of months. Eight ventures are still actively engaged with the EI and gaining ongoing support beyond the programme.

Nuclide Therapeutics closed £5 million in investment to advance the detection and treatment of therapy-resistant cancers weeks after graduating from the first cohort. Before completing the programme, PharosAI received £18.9 million in funding from the UK Government to democratise cancer AI research and accelerate the path to cancer care.

Welcoming a diverse third cohort 

The eight spinouts on Cohort III span five of King’s nine faculties. For the first time, there is representation from the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care. The biggest growth this year comes from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, with three selected spinouts.

38% of the ventures are women-led, demonstrating the Entrepreneurship Institute’s commitment to gender diversity in entrepreneurship. According to The Entrepreneur Network’s Idea to Impact report, only 25% of spinouts coming out of UK universities have female founders, with less than 8% having women-only founding teams.

Meet the prospective spinouts

eira bio

Developing gene therapies for glaucoma and broader neurological conditions, focused on protecting nerve cells and rebuilding nerve connections in the central nervous system.

Academic/research lead: Dr Richard Eva, Lecturer in Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.

 

Epistat Therapeutics

Biotech developing drugs to prevent keratinocyte-derived skin cancers, the world’s most common cancers, using a proprietary 3D platform modelling early tumour development.

Academic/research lead: Dr Magnus Lynch, Consultant Dermatologist and Dermatological Surgeon, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine.

 

EVora therapeutics

Developing oral biological therapies for gut and metabolic diseases, aiming at replacing injections with pills by using delivery technology resisting digestion and taken up by the gut.

Academic/research lead: Dr Driton Vllasaliu, Reader in Biotherapeutics Delivery, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine.

 

Machine Minds AI

Software creating realistic crisis simulations for national security professionals, blending AI and human participants to practice high-stakes decision-making under pressure.

Academic/research lead: Professor Kenneth Payne, Professor of Strategy, Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy.

 

NMPC Enterprise

Learning management system tackling the current clinical placement shortage by delivering regulator-aligned, AI-powered virtual training that prepares students for real primary and community care practices.

Academic/research lead: Hilary Jones, Faculty Research and Impact Manager, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care.

 

Quodit Performance

Leverages deep expertise in cognitive testing and technology to provide better solutions for high-performance industries, including professional sport.

Academic/research lead: Dr Oliver Runswick, Deputy Director of BSc Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.

 

ReWORK

A digital tool supporting individuals to stay and return to work.

Academic/research lead: Dr Giouliana Kadra-Scalzo, Lecturer MSc Organisational Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.

 

SigBit AI Ltd 

AI-powered video compression technology that helps streaming platforms deliver the same quality video using much less bandwidth, reducing infrastructure and delivery costs.

Academic/research lead: Professor Yansha Deng, Professor of Intelligent Communication Systems, Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences.

 

If you are an investor, with an active interest in early-stage spinouts, please contact our Investor Relations Manager, Dr Yotam Levy, or sign-up to our monthly investor newsletter.