Una spin-off It is a company that is created within a larger company, but that begins to have its own life and to work independently, even if it continues to collaborate with the parent company in operations. Spin-offs can be purely of a nature enterprising (if you were born from another company), or academic (if you were born from scientific and technological research groups in universities, foundations or other centers). The latter are considered knowledge-based companies (EBC), since they focus on improving products and services with the findings of science, always with a desire for innovation, and in many cases of service to other companies. Its strength is in the applied research, and the advances they usually bring are valuable: they create qualified jobs, and they generate high added value in products and services (often, introducing particularly disruptive improvements). Why are these companies created? The reasons, as El Blog Salmon points out in this post, are varied: Preventing talent drain of the workforce of the parent company through these new projects, improve products and services (and their management), opening new business niches, raising funds to develop a business unit without this implying the entry into the matrix, or even reasons as resounding as ensure the company's survival, due to economic difficulties, or because the culture and processes existing in the parent organization may be contrary to the development needs of what would be a new business unit within the existing company. And the fact is that these second companies usually survive. The Office for the Transfer of Research Results (OTRI) revealed a few months ago that From 604 spin-off created in the last five years, 536 (87%) survive. The most intensive areas in the creation of Spin Off They are the informatics (54%), the sector of R&D (20%), the chemistry (17%) And the biotechnology (9%).Returning to academic spin-offs, we can highlight the work of universities such as those of Oviedo, Barcelona (with institutions such as Bosch i Gimpera Foundation and collaborations with Enterprise network), or Valencia, many of which are competing in prizes such as the Competition Biotech opinion, the Five Days Award for Business Innovation, or the one who grants Madrid+d, to name just a few. Since Intelectium we have participated in an interesting success story. More than a year ago, we worked with Starlab in the development of its strategic plan, the result of which it was created Neuroelectrics, as a spin-off of the first. It has not yet been a year since its launch, and Neuroelectrics is already a global leader in the development and commercialization of wireless electrophysiological sensor systems for the monitoring of electroencephalographic signals, as well as in neurostimulation systems, highly advanced techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, pain and depression. In this case, the decision to launch a spin-off was a recommendation from Intelectium, since we concluded that the development and commercialization of the products that now Sell Neuroelectrics required business processes and work cultures different from those prevailing in Starlab, a more research-oriented company. The existence of Neuroelectrics as a separate entity from Starlab implies the existence of a clear mission, own resources, business processes in accordance with the objectives and dynamics of the company. Find this own culture for new companies it is one of the main factors that will lead them to success.
