The Spinoff Prize 2020

University-bred entrepreneurs are bringing some of the hottest scientific discoveries into practical applications in medicine and technology.

For the inaugural Spinoff Prize, Nature sought out the most exciting science-based companies to have emerged from academic labs in the past three years. Here are the selected firms: 12 finalists, and 32 ‘ones to watch’.

The start-up that developed the ‘cage’ molecule is one of the finalists of The Spinoff Prize.

A different approach that could predict the risk of having a heart attack puts company on the shortlist for The Spinoff Prize.

A firm with a formula for treating PTSD has been shortlisted for The Spinoff Prize.

The start-up that developed the compound is a finalist for The Spinoff Prize.

The drug, which could restart insulin production in people with the disease, is made by one of the finalists of The Spinoff Prize.

An innovative medical device for spotting colorectal cancer sees company shortlisted for The Spinoff Prize.

The firm behind the brain-imaging analysis is shortlisted for The Spinoff Prize.

A biomarker for inflammatory bowel disease leads firm to the shortlist for The Spinoff Prize.

A firm that combines single-cell analysis and neural networks to identify biomarkers for rare diseases has made it on to the shortlist for The Spinoff Prize.

A start-up that makes flexible devices to monitor heart rate and blood pressure in premature babies wins The Spinoff Prize.

The flexible sensors have been developed by one of the finalists for The Spinoff Prize.

A modified protein to disrupt the autoimmune cascade that can lead to the skin-pigment condition makes the company a finalist for The Spinoff Prize.

Academia and industry in Japan remain disconnected, despite efforts to bring them together.

European biotech companies continued to raise unprecedented amounts of capital last year. Can they survive what are likely to be leaner times ahead?

A detailed look at the economic impact of university-licensed life science startups across the United States reveals vast differences in the effectiveness of different regions to create ventures and sustain them as viable entities.

The country is using science for economic benefit.

In the first of a three-part series on science start-ups, Nature Careers explores how scientists with a sound business idea can thrive as entrepreneurs, and why leaving academia isn’t required.

Ty Tang was told that any move out of academia was likely to be permanent. But after two years working, he has now returned to research.

At first glance, academic training can seem ill-suited to careers in industry. However, there are plenty of ways in which researchers can improve their lot.

In the second part of a three-part series on science start-ups, Nature Careers explores how founders can learn from their failures in business to try again.

The country has been slow to welcome start-up science culture, but the scene looks set to take off.

Universities aid entrepreneurs by helping them to turn their research into companies. In return, universities can reap financial benefits.