UCL’s New £100 m Fund: Turning Lab‑Bred Ideas Into Everyday Wonders
Picture this: a bustling campus full of brilliant scientists, a cash‑rich fund ready to sprinkle the magic dust, and a splash of swagger from the team that’s known as UCL Technology Fund (UCLTF). The latest play? A fresh £100 m pot that’s already gone into the first close of what’s called Fund 2.
What’s the Big Deal?
UCLTF, hand‑in‑hand with AlbionVC and the university’s own commercial arm UCL Business (UCLB), is on a mission: to push UCL’s groundbreaking research in life, computer, and physical sciences out of the lab sandwich and into the marketplace. The numbers? 45 winners in the first fund, a splash of over £1 bn in external funding, and more than 570 jobs created. Now, Fund 2 is picking up that momentum.
Who’s In?
- British Patient Capital – the UK’s biggest venture‑capital LP investor.
- UCL itself – the pride of the institution.
- Newer limited partners – fresh faces with fresh capital.
What Kind of Projects?
Life sciences: gene therapy, cellular wizardry, and drug discovery. Targeting the heavy hitters – rare diseases, cancers, eye conditions, and liver troubles. Physical and computer sciences? Think AI from UCL’s AI Centre, cutting‑edge materials, and hardware that could change the world.
Past Successes: A Quick Run‑through
- Two Nasdaq IPOs that made headlines: Orchard Therapeutics (genes for rare diseases) and MeiraGTx (eye, saliva, CNS gene therapies).
- Freeline Therapeutics, poised for its own IPO, focuses on liver‑directed gene therapies.
- Bloomsbury AI – the NLP titan that even joined Facebook’s London lab in 2018.
Whispers From the Big Chairs
Dr. Celia Caulcott, Vice‑Provost, Enterprise – “UCL’s first tech fund is a powerhouse, turning research wizardry into real‑world benefits. With Fund 2, we’re gearing up to channel IP to commercial magic and new companies.”
Dr. Andrew Elder, AlbionVC – “UCL is a research heavyweight. The quality and breadth of its opportunities are breathtaking. We’re excited to back teams that could transform treatments or revolutionize how we work.”
Dr. Anne Lane, Chief Executive, UCLB – “Our partnership validates how academic brilliance + investment savvy can produce life‑changing solutions. Fund 2 is all about scaling that success across life and physical science realms.”
Catherine Lewis La Torre, CEO, British Patient Capital – “Supporting UCLTF is part of our playbook to invest in top‑tier research from UK universities. We’ll help focus the science to battle society’s toughest challenges and earn great returns.”
Why Now Matters
Even in a global economy that’s on a roller coaster, universities are the launching pads for tomorrow’s tech. UCL’s new fund is a tangible way to give those ideas the safety net they need to become everyday products.
Your Takeaway
UCL is not just a university; it’s a campus‑wide lab where ideas hit the big screen. Fund 2 is the ticket—£100 m of backing, a fresh lineup of researchers, and the promise to turn the next kid‑on‑island breakthrough into a household name. Get ready for the next wave of scientific magic that’s coming out of UCL’s benches and into the world.
