Spin-off SIG Webinar #8

Spin-off SIG Webinar #8

Splitting the Pie: Equity Negotiations Between Universities and Startups

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Who deserves equity in a university spin-off, and how much? These questions create some of the most contentious negotiations in knowledge transfer, and the answers can make or break a startup's future fundraising potential.

This panel tackles the practical challenges knowledge transfer offices face daily: What’s the effect of adding royalties and milestone payments on top of equity stakes? Should faculty who won't join as founders still receive equity? How much should universities take? We'll start with cap table fundamentals (how shares are allocated and how dilution works), then dive into real-world scenarios where theory meets messy reality.

Topics include:

  • Cap table fundamentals: share allocation, dilution, and vesting
  • Determining fair equity splits between founders, university, and early contributors
  • Royalties plus equity: when to use both, and when one approach is enough
  • Country-specific requirements and how they shape deal structures

The panel brings diverse experience from Cambridge, USC, venture capital, venture studios, and pharmaceutical licensing. Participants are encouraged to share their own challenges and lessons learned in structuring these deals.

Panelists: Declan Weldon (Cambridge Enterprise), Matt Wichrowski (VC and author), Rubén Darío Flores Saaib (Ligand Pharmaceuticals, formerly USC and General Inception), and Martin Raditsch (CARMA FUND Management and Innovectis GmbH). D'vorah Graeser, founder of RocketSmart AI, will moderate.

This webinar is organised by the Spin-off SIG. Join the Spin-off SIG to stay tuned.

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Testimonials

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Was great to meet counterparts in my profession who may share my experiences, but who may also have other ideas and approaches.

Tim Moser

Netherlands Cancer Institute, Netherlands

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Excellent professional gathering, perfect collection of topics and very up-to-date insight.

Ludovic Urgeghe

University of Mons, Belgium

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Working and Learning with old and new friends – best way to do it!

Sara Matt-Leubner

University of Innsbruck, Austria

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From day one ASTP has been a tremendous help. Learning throughs seminars and workshops or meeting peers for discussions, there is always someone around to exchange ideas with.

Paul van Dun

KU Leuven, Belgium

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The course exceeded my expectations. We exchanged experiences and learned different options of approaches to existing problems.

Patricia Lima

Instituto Superior Technico, Portugal