June 2025

Welcome to the eighth issue of The Reading List.

Each month we share examples of how universities are driving innovation, forging business partnerships, and advancing knowledge exchange (KE).

We'll be sharing things we see from other universities that we think you might find interesting. We'll also highlight news, opinion and resources that relate to KE.

Spin-out register published

From: HESA: Higher Education Statistics Agency, UK Research and Innovation

A new register of spin-out companies has been published. It creates an ‘official’ list of all spin-out companies produced by UK universities.

The register also introduces updated definitions to improve consistency and robustness of data returned across institutions, supporting more consistent and comparable insights.

🔎 Explore the register

Flagship analysis of the data underlying the spin-out register

From: Policy Evidence Unit for University Commercialisation & Innovation (UCI)

Hot on the heels of the spin-out register being published, the team at UCI published a report based on a combination of the register's data with other sources.

The report shows how the register can unlock new insights and focusses on:

• significance of university spin-outs for the UK economy

• structure and dynamics of the spin-out ecosystem

• scale of success

⏬ Download the report

New platform supports UK producers of protected food and drink names

From: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise

UK producers of protected foods and drink names – from the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie, to Pembrokeshire Rock Oysters and Scotch Whisky – are invited to sign up to a new online platform that launched in 2025.

Currently there are 99 UK protected food and drink names officially registered under Geographical Indication (GI) schemes.

The new national platform also connects with a European Union equivalent and offers:

• Access to an exclusive network of experts and peers

• Cutting-edge research on GI sustainability and consumer behaviour

• Tailored tools, resources and best practice examples to support sustainable GI practices

• Opportunities to collaborate and help shape policies at national/ EU level

👀 Read the news and sign up for the platform

Northern Gritstone expanding reach into Liverpool and Newcastle

From: Northern Gritstone

Northern Gritstone, the investment company setup with the assistance of The University of Manchester, University of Leeds, and The University of Sheffield, has made its first investment into a Newcastle University spin-out. The deeptech and life sciences investor has also announced a multi-year partnership agreement with the University of Liverpool.

Newcastle spin-out Literal Labs is pioneering logic-based AI models that are faster, more energy efficient and more explainable than neural networks. The company has secured a £4.6M ($6.2M) pre-seed investment led by Northern Gritstone.

Northern Gritstone has also secured preferred investor status with University of Liverpool in a multi-year partnership announced last month.

📰 Read the news about the Literal Labs fund raise

🗞 Find out more about the new partnership with University of Liverpool

Launch of the North East Space Communications Accelerator

From: Northumbria University, Durham University, Newcastle University

Earlier this week saw the launch of the North East Space Communications Accelerator (NESCA).

Funded by the EPSRC, NESCA will build on recent investment in space skills, research and innovation in the region, creating new opportunities for knowledge exchange that lead to quality impact, including high-skilled jobs and economic growth.

NESCA is a collaboration between Northumbria, Durham, and Newcastle universities, the North East Combined Authority, Space North East England, and the North East Space Leadership Group, as well as 14 industry partners.

🛰 Explore the scheme and apply for innovation funding

What do you think?

What has caught your attention recently? What did we miss?

Use the comments to let us know what else we could have included. Or share your thoughts on any of the stories above.

If you'd like to submit something to be included in the next issue of The Reading List, let us know.

Thanks for reading.

Tom Bramald, Cait Read and Sarah Bailey

Newcastle University Business and Partnerships Marketing and Communications