Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE), the independent investment company created to found, fund and build transformational businesses via its partnership with the University of Oxford, has raised a further £250 million ($300 million) in funding.
This brings the total amount raised by OSE to more than £850 million ($1 billion) since inception in 2015.
These funds deepen OSE’s capital pool and enable it to identify further science from the University of Oxford, providing initial funding, hands-on support and access to expert networks and start-up infrastructure, to create new spinouts across life sciences, health tech and deep tech.
In addition, OSE will continue to support its existing and maturing portfolio, deploying increasingly large amounts of capital in later-stage funding rounds. TOSE said the ability to provide scale-up capital is crucial to enable its businesses to advance through development milestones, maximizing the chances of success and increasing potential returns and impact.
Alexis Dormandy, CEO, said: “We are delighted to successfully complete this new fundraising. Attracting such high quality new and existing global investors reflects their enthusiasm for the strength of Oxford’s science and our plans to drive positive impact from it.
“This fundraise comes at an exciting and pivotal time for OSE. We have built a talented team and proved our model of translating ground-breaking science into a diverse portfolio of transformational businesses. Our companies are making remarkable breakthroughs from cancer, heart failure and infectious diseases, to climate change, food security and quantum computing. Over the next few years, we expect these companies will continue to make important progress; with our ongoing efforts, and the support of our shareholders, we look forward to helping them deliver impact and returns.”
Major investments
The fundraise involved a diverse group of international investors, with participation from existing and new blue-chip investors, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, pension funds and asset managers.
Since founding in 2015, OSE has invested in more than 80 companies built on Oxford science, committing £500 million ($598m) and attracting more than £1 billion ($1.2 billion) from blue-chip, global co-investors. To date OSE has helped progress 27 companies from seed to series A and 21 to series B and beyond, including two IPOs and five trade exits.
In addition to funding, OSE provides strategic business-building and operational support to its portfolio companies, including access to a global network of entrepreneurs and advisers, and has added more than 55,000 sq ft of lab and start-up space.
As well as connections to the famous university, Oxford has emerged as a biotech hub in recent years, with many companies spun out from the university, as well as independent outfits choosing the city as a location.
Oxford Science Park agrees to sale of development site to Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine
US-based research organization, the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine, is expanding its commitment to Oxford by establishing a major presence at The Oxford Science Park (TOSP).
To facilitate the development of the Ellison Institute’s new Oxford campus, TOSP has agreed to sell a 150-year lease on a 3.5 acre site in the Park. This will connect directly with the adjacent 5.9-acre Littlemore House site that the Ellison Institute acquired in December 2021, creating a major presence in Oxford.
The Ellison Institute’s Oxford campus will provide a permanent home to research laboratories, a patient clinic, offices, and collaborative spaces supporting Ellison Institute projects, including the Global Health Security Consortium’s work on pandemic preparedness.
The development will enable the Ellison Institute to collaborate with companies and organizations across the park, as well as the wider Oxford innovation ecosystem. The new location also enables the Ellison Institute to expand its existing partnership with Oxford Nanopore Technologies, one of the major international companies based at the Park.
“Critical research”
Rory Maw, CEO of The Oxford Science Park, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Ellison Institute to the Park and look forward to working with the team to help deliver their vision for the new Oxford campus. This commitment will reinforce the ground-breaking research and development already taking place on the Park, delivering benefits and opportunities for our occupiers and the wider Oxford innovation ecosystem.”
“We look forward to continuing the development of our Oxford presence and partnerships,” said David Agus, founding director and CEO of the Ellison Institute.
“These acquisitions give us greater capacity to undertake critical biomedical research as well as the educational initiatives of the Institute in collaboration with Oxford University.”
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