OpenBioSim is the product of decades of experience in academia–industry research partnerships, and of a belief that, in computational chemistry, open-source research software and an open-science ethos deliver the greatest societal benefits. By around 2021, it had become clear that the mission of OpenBioSim was best pursued outside academia, but that it was not compatible with traditional for-profit venture creation approaches.
The route to company formation was guided by consultation with Edinburgh Innovations and the Social Impact Spin-Outs (SISO) program from the Community Enterprise in Scotland Group, ultimately leading to the incorporation of the first social enterprise ever spun out from the University of Edinburgh in 2022. Tomorrow marks the third anniversary of incorporation, and OpenBioSim is going from strength to strength. We hope to share more about our recent successes in the coming months.
If you are interested in learning more about this journey, SISO recently published a case study outlining their perspective on social enterprises and academic research.
Written by Julien Michel