About RC&I

RC&I supports entrepreneurial academics that aim to commercialise their research output through intellectual property protection, licensing, and new venture creation. As the key objective is the commercialisation of UCT’s research outputs, we primarily support postgraduate students and staff.  In addition, the office supports innovation funding through grants and private venture capital. 

UCT is part of the knowledge economy, so the unit provides an essential service to both the university and its researchers by having their interests at heart from the outset. 

This starts with advising on, managing, and administering research and professional service contracts for the research community. 

As a world-class research institute in the knowledge economy, intellectual property is central to many of these contracts, while also providing a solid basis from which to grow impact. Patenting, for example, allows for commercialisation, which opens research outcomes to a broader audience and a key method to transform research into tangible benefits for society. This, in turn, could open new opportunities for further research and development through funding and collaboration. 

One fresh way in which RC&I supports entrepreneurial researchers is through its Idea to Impact (i2i) programme for innovators in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The course upskills innovators in the foundations of tech commercialisation: how they can use IP rights to achieve their goals, generate income, create jobs, tackle local and global challenges, and support national and community development. 

Where appropriate, RC&I’s team then continues to work with promising candidates to negotiate the often technical and complex journey from research to patenting and commercialisation. 

The course covers: IP management, technology commercialisation, new product development, project management, business models, and funding strategies. 

With regards to funding, RC&I manages several internal innovation funds (Innovation Builder, Pre-Seed, Seed, and Evergreen) and works with the University Technology Fund (UTF) to fund technology development within the university or its spin-off companies. Through close ties with industry, RC&I also helps source other innovation grant and investment funding and identifies commercial partners.