About us

The mission of Innovus is to make Stellenbosch University innovation matter.

We strive to maximise Stellenbosch University’s impact on the African continent by using the output of the university’s research to promote entrepreneurship, create new jobs and new products and services that address the needs of all of our citizens.

Innovus also strives to support the University by optimising its fifth stream income.

The Innovation and Commercialisation (I&C) Division of Stellenbosch University (SU) comprises of four offices.

Innovus Technology Transfer Office (TTO)

Innovus TTO works with and supports SU staff and students to identify, protect, manage and commercialise their inventions and intellectual property for the benefit of society. We work closely with faculty to identify novel intellectual property that can be used in industry or society. We then determine the best strategy to protect the intellectual property so that the commercial opportunities can be effectively developed.

Innovus TTO enables the commercialisation of SU’s IP which normally takes place through licensing the IP to a commercial entity or creation of a spin-out company in which both the inventors and SU have shareholding (through SU’s wholly-owned company that was established for this purpose). Our team implements various programs to encourage a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship at SU and we ensure compliance with the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act (51 of 2008), its Regulations and the SU policies relating to IP.

SU LaunchLab

SU LaunchLab works closely with the Technology Transfer Office team to provide a seamless service to Stellenbosch University (SU) Entrepreneurs. SU LaunchLab provides the following services to the SU Entrepreneurial community:

Student entrepreneurship
New Company Creation and Onboarding
Portfolio Company Support
USE Portfolio reporting and Fund Management

SU LaunchLab provides entrepreneurial mindset workshops to make student entrepreneurship more accessible, Faculty-specific bootcamps give students the tools to become entrepreneurs in their field of study, SU Hackathons to address real industry opportunities, Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Intervarsity to give SU student entrepreneurs (MatiePreneurs) a national platform to showcase their businesses, and ResNova, which is an incubation programme designed with MatiePreneurs in mind.

For new company creation and onboarding, the Instant Startup platform, which offers interactive, guided entrepreneurship education to teams, is an essential tool. The Onboarding team are responsible for setting up new spin-out companies. They ensure good corporate governance and practices within the SU group of companies by creating compliance-based mindsets and practices. They upskill our directors and CEOs by providing training on how to be a responsible director. They also facilitate the drafting of the Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) and Shareholders Agreement (SHA) that keep the unique spin-out situation in mind.

They also provide ongoing portfolio company support by managing relationships with vetted external partners and suppliers to SU and provide company secretarial services with limited administrative support. They also negotiate discounts with several relevant service providers on behalf of the SU Group of Companies. Additionally, for spin-out companies, the Spin-out Concierge desk provides ongoing services to new and pre-spin-out companies. These services include setting up accounting software, opening of bank accounts, accounting processing, and payroll management. The Concierge can assist the spin-out companies with branding, website, and logo design and many other company-related services.

Incubation programmes using Instant Startup is a key service to help commercial projects proceed through the process of being approved to spin-out, raise initial pre-seed or angel funding, and compile a dataroom that will assist with raising their first Series Seed funding.

Portfolio companies also receive precision incubation services through SU LaunchLab, access to an impressive network of mentors, as well as engagements with dozens of industry partners that frequently approach SU LaunchLab for new innovative companies.

SU LaunchLab supports the USE team in reporting on the USE portfolio of companies as well as the various funds that SU has at its disposal to support its current and future portfolio of companies.

The SU Copyright, Trade Marks and Short Courses

Copyright Office – helps protect, risk-manage and administer copyright aspects at SU and provides advice, copyright clearance services and assistance to SU staff and students. This office is also responsible for the management and implementation of SU’s DALRO Blanket Licence Agreement.
Trade Mark Office – identifies, protects, manages and commersialises SU trade marks in alignment with the provisions in the Policy on the Use and Licensing of Stellenbosch University’s Trade Marks. For commercial purposes, the Trade Mark Office is responsible for granting approval for all uses of SU trade marks, and all variations in the application thereof.
Short Courses Division – provides SU with specific operational and administrative services to enable staff to present short courses and fulfils its responsibility as custodian of the Policy in Respect of the Presentation of Short Courses at Stellenbosch University co-ordinating, standardising and supporting the short course processes on behalf of the institution. It co-ordinates, standardises and supports the short course processes on behalf of the institution. Visit the short courses website here.

SunCom Business Office

Residential Services – providing accommodation to 8000 students
Catering and Compliance – providing between 15-17 000 meals per day
Transport Services
Rental Office (student centers and long-term rental)
Botanical Garden
Copy Print & Courier Services

In addition to these offices, I&C is also associated with two external entities.

US Enterprises (Pty) Ltd (USE) is SU’s wholly-owned company that holds and manages the institution’s shareholding in the SU’s Group of Companies. USE has its own board of directors with non-executive independent directors (highly successful business leaders) as well as representatives from the University. The company’s Board of Directors governs the strategy, business actions and operations of USE and its entities. The Board is also mandated by the Rectorate to provide strategic guidance to I&C.

Factory 209 (Pty) Ltd, a company in the SU Group of Companies, is the commercial arm of SunCom and commercialises a number of initiatives on behalf of SU in a more agile and business-friendly environment. Factory 209 is the home to the five Matie Shops (three shops in the Neelsie Student Center, the shop in the Tygerberg Student Center, the SU Botanical Garden Shop and the online and mobile shops), as well as the Central Events and Conference Office (CECO), Guest Accommodation and Gradlinc.

CECO manages short term rental, photo shoots and events and conferences on SU’s campuses. Guest Accommodation manages the SU guest apartments as well as visiting groups who stay in SU residences during recess periods. Gradlinc is a platform to provide access to graduate talent for employers and provide support to students to prepare a CV, practice for interviews and gain access to internships and employment.

The Stellenbosch Network, a non-profit organisation and proud initiative of I&C, works very closely with I&C and specifically the SU LaunchLab to actively create networks and to link academics, students, not for profit organisations, large and small companies, municipal and various other stakeholders in Stellenbosch.

SU Policies and Regulations

I&C has the sole mandate from SU to, in consultation with affected faculties and PASS environments, manage and commercialise all business opportunities of SU including the use of facilities.

This division operates in compliance with SU Policies and Regulations and is also the institutional custodian of the following:

Protection and Commercialisation of Intellectual Property Policy of Stellenbosch University(PCIPP)
Policy in Respect of the Presentation of Short Courses at Stellenbosch University;
Policy in Respect of the Use and Licensing of Stellenbosch University’s Trademarks;
Short Term Rental Policy;
Innovus regulations for the internal innovation fund (R777); and
Regulations for Commercialisation at SU.
Longer Term Rental Policy
Mobility Plan