CU Enterprise, the holding company
Photo by Rohit Choudhari on Unsplash
Chulalongkorn University has undergone a transformation from being Thailand’s oldest and most prestigious educational institution to a research university that teaches. This transformation has been driven by the dissemination of research and innovation through the university’s innovation ecosystem, in addition to publications and citations of research, intellectual property, and licensing of technology and innovation which is operated by the Chulalongkorn University Office of Research Affairs and Intellectual Property Institute, Chulalongkorn University. Apart from this, Chulalongkorn University has established the University Holding Company, CU Enterprise, which aims to create value from the university’s research and innovation through the development and commercialization of products and services for society. This is achieved by working with the Chulalongkorn University Innovation Centre (CU Innovation Hub) to provide incubation, acceleration, and investment services for entrepreneurs and spin-off companies operated by Chulalongkorn University faculty and researchers. There are currently 354 start-ups and 100 spin-off companies running within this ecosystem, with a combined market value of more than 22 billion baht. At the present, 13 spin-off companies have donated 10% of their profits back to the university to support research and innovation divided into health sciences, technology, and food and agriculture groups. Moreover, over 200 researchers have formed the Chula Spin-off Club to provide support to young researchers who are starting businesses. The experience of managing research and innovation at C.U. Enterprise has also been shared with faculty and staff through funding to establish similar companies at the faculty and office level. There are currently 10 such companies in operation.
This model has been adopted by 11 Thai universities as part of a network that promotes collaboration with alumni, industry, and the commercial sector. Spin-off companies also offer students the opportunity to work and learn within the company, providing practical, hands-on learning experiences that benefit society. This approach fosters entrepreneurship, leadership skills, and problem-solving through research and innovation. As a result of these efforts, Chulalongkorn University has seen an improvement in its SDG 9 score across all indicators and has risen in ranking from 60th place in 2021 to 26th place globally and 14th place this year. The CU Innovation Hub has also won the Launchpads award, and Baiya Phytopharm Co., Ltd., (a university spin-off company) received the Frontiers award at the Asiastar 10×10 event hosted by Alibaba Cloud in Singapore in November 2022.
Additionally, outside of these efforts, Chulalongkorn University has also achieved recognition and success in other areas. It is worth noting that Chulalongkorn University has consistently been ranked as the top university in Thailand and among the top universities in Asia. It has also been recognized for its contributions to sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The university has implemented various initiatives to reduce its environmental impact and promote sustainability. Chulalongkorn University is committed to continuously improving its research and innovation capabilities and making a positive impact on society through its efforts.
BY
CU Enterprise Co., Ltd., Chulalongkorn University
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