About SISO
SISO is a programme designed to support academic staff and researchers to maximise the impact of their research through the creation of successful and sustainable social enterprises.
Our Story
SISO is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by a coalition of well-established expert organisations in the social business world including CEIS, MFMac and ISEO.
The programme started in 2021 with 4 partner institutions and is now partnering with universities across the country to make social enterprise spinouts a serious consideration for university researchers in both STEM and SHAPE.
What makes SISO different?
In one word – impact. We only work with those individuals who want to apply their research in a way that has the social or environmental impact at the heart of the enterprise.
We are the first programme to introduce fully asset-locked social enterprise as a business model for start-up or spin-out from academia. This ‘locks-in’ the assets and finances into the enterprise, ensuring they are used in a way that maximises impact and meets the needs of the academic, the institution and the end beneficiaries.
We also bring to the table the significant resources from Scotland’s world-leading social enterprise ecosystem – dedicated support, grant funding and growth finance, all designed to support both the individual and the commercialisation teams to achieve your goals.
In doing all of this, we are different from every other Higher or Further Education programme globally that is aimed at commercialising academic research.
How it works
SISO works on a collaborative basis. We work in tandem with both the academic staff member and the university commercialisation teams.
We can receive enquiries either directly from the individual or from the commercialisation team. Either way, we close the loop, ensuring that we can maximise the support available and also meet the needs of both the individual academic staff member(s) as well as those of the commercialisation teams.
Our support is bespoke – no group work, no accelerators, no competitions. We work on a 1-2-1 basis, providing you with the intensity, duration and type of support that each individual idea merits.
If you are an academic staff member, researcher or work within a commercialisation team and would like to discuss how we can support the development of your idea or work alongside the commercialisation team, then fill out our contact form and we will be back in touch to schedule a meeting or call.
What’s included?
SISO offers a range of services to support both the individual academic and the university commercialisation teams.
Social enterprise introduction sessions
1-2-1 business development support
Intellectual Property audits
University commercialisation ‘stage gate’ support
Legal structures appraisal & social enterprise company formation
Legal contracts support
Grant funding identification & support
Referral on to social enterprise growth finance providers
Commercial Champion & CEO identification
SISO Partners
CEIS
CEIS is the UKs largest social enterprise development agency. We are focused on making Scotland a better place to live and work with a more inclusive economy. Formed in 1984, the CEIS team brings 40 years’ experience in supporting the growth of social enterprise in Scotland and internationally. We are the lead partner in delivering Scotland’s national support programme for social enterprise – Just Enterprise – which supports hundreds of new and established social enterprises each year. We are also the co-founder of the world’s largest touring social enterprise gathering, the Social Enterprise World Forum. CEIS is the lead in delivering the SISO programme. We have a proven track record of supporting academic staff and researchers to successfully start-up or spin-out their research into a successful social enterprise.
Morton Fraser MacRoberts (MFMac)
Morton Fraser MacRoberts is one of Scotland’s leading law firms, offering unparalleled access to one of the largest legal resources in Scotland. It has been providing legal advice since 1614. With a team of over 250 lawyers, MFMac provides exceptional client service and unrivalled expertise. MFMac is a key delivery partner for the SISO programme, working alongside the core delivery team to provide specific and tailored legal advice covering all aspects of the start-up and spin-out journey. MFMac’s support ranges from IP audits, contract law and crucially, legal structure options appraisals and company formation support, all designed to reflect the key drivers and considerations from the perspective of both the academic staff member, the university commercialisation teams and the marketplace.
ISEO
The International Social Enterprise Observatory supports the growth of Scottish social enterprises internationally and enables inward expansion into Scotland’s social enterprise sector. It is delivered by eight individual partners under a ‘Team Scotland’ approach. These include CEIS, Social Enterprise World Forum CIC, Social Enterprise Academy, Scottish Development International, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise. ISEO brings the experience, skills and resources of these partners to support social enterprise start-ups and spin-outs from Scotland’s universities to maximise the international potential and impact of their research.
Partners
SISO is managed and delivered by CEIS, the UKs leading social enterprise development agency involved in supporting the growth of social enterprise in Scotland and internationally since 1984’.
Our delivery partners include:
