Beyond the Breakthrough · 2024-11-08 · 38 min
Whisky may not be the first industry to come to mind when you think of university innovation, but for the University of Kentucky - based in a US state known around the world for its bourbon industry - it’s an obvious next step in its tech transfer activities. UK Innovate, the institution’s commercialisation arm, is spearheading a new organisation called Estate Whiskey Alliance (EWA) that will allow members to access and help guide research in areas such as sustainable whisky production and regenerative farming. Run by director Landon Borders and operations manager Alexa Narel, the alliance builds on the university’s expertise through its James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits . But it’s not just for Kentucky: there’s already one co-founder from Canada (spirit producer Black Fox Farm and Distillery), and Estate Whiskey Alliance plans to expand into other whisky-producing nations such as Scotland and Japan.
Season 4 Recap: Building blocks in place for university venturing to take off in 202578 / 100
Create more spinouts, more quickly with standard deal terms and willingness to fail
More proof of concept funding is needed to create impactful spinouts
How the UK’s spinout review settled “myopic” equity debate
Pearse Coyle: Incubators are a distraction, acquire customers early instead