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For Researchers & Academics

Turn discovery into impact —
without leaving your mission behind.

You have made a discovery that could change the world. PIPE provides the structured commercial pathway to get it there — protecting your IP, respecting your timeline, and doing the heavy lifting on commercialisation so you can focus on the science.

Submit an Innovation →See the Pathway
Why Researchers Choose PIPE

The commercial journey
should not fall on you alone.

Researchers are world experts in their field — not in venture formation, investor relations, IP licensing, or market entry. Yet the traditional model expects academics to navigate all of this, often with minimal support and misaligned incentives.

PIPE exists to change that. We provide the structure, expertise, and capital connections to move your research forward commercially — so that the translation journey does not become a burden that pulls you away from discovery.

Your science stays yours. We build the bridge to the world.

THE RESEARCHER PROMISE
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Your IP is protected at every stage — the inventive step is never disclosed without your consent
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Your publication and patent timelines are respected and protected throughout
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You retain equity and benefit directly from commercial success
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You choose your level of commercial involvement — from advisory to active leadership
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You keep your academic role — PIPE is designed for researchers, not ex-researchers
The Researcher Journey

How PIPE works
for you, step by step.

1

Register — Free, Confidential, No Commitment

Create a free account on the PIPE platform. You can register as a researcher, academic, or observer. There is no cost, no commitment, and no disclosure at this stage.

2

Disclose Your Innovation — IP-Safely

Submit your innovation through the platform without disclosing the inventive step. Your IP moves into a protected digital vault — an NFT-structured record that allows arm's-length assessment whilst preserving patent and publication rights.

3

Receive Your Go/No-Go Report

Within an agreed timeframe, PIPE produces an empirical commercial viability assessment — covering market size, use cases, regulatory landscape, societal impact, and competitive context. This is your structured translational roadmap.

4

Meet Your PIPE Associate

If your project passes the Go/No-Go stage, a PIPE Associate — an experienced operator with relevant domain expertise — is matched to your project and joins your team. They build the commercial pathway alongside you.

5

Access Funding & Launch

Validated projects access initial capital — up to €2m — through the PGF and PIPE gDAO. Your Associate leads the venture formation, IP structuring, and investor engagement. You retain your academic role throughout.

6

Progress to PIPExchange & Beyond

Protégé Companies are listed on the PIPExchange — the Pre-IPO Exchange — securing subsequent funding rounds with no upper limit, progressing towards full IPO. Your equity value grows at every stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your questions,
answered.

Will submitting to PIPE affect my ability to publish or patent?
No. The PIPE disclosure process is specifically designed to protect both patent potential and publication timelines. You never disclose the inventive step — the assessment is conducted on the basis of context, problem statement, and application area. Your TTO is involved at every stage, and no commercial engagement occurs without your explicit consent.
Do I have to leave my academic role to commercialise through PIPE?
No. PIPE Associates handle the commercial pathway — from market validation and investor engagement to venture formation and IP structuring. You choose the level of involvement that works for you, from occasional advisory input to active founding role. Many researchers remain fully in post throughout.
What happens if my project does not pass the Go/No-Go assessment?
You receive a detailed report explaining the assessment findings — including what factors contributed to the decision and, where applicable, what changes could improve commercial viability. This feedback is confidential and is shared only with you and your TTO. There is no cost to you for the initial assessment.
Who owns the IP? What equity do I receive?
IP ownership arrangements are agreed with your institution and formalised before any commercial engagement begins. PIPE operates within your institution's standard IP framework. Researcher equity participation is structured on a project-by-project basis and is always documented transparently before you commit to proceeding.
Is there a cost to submit an innovation?
Registration and initial submission are free. The Go/No-Go assessment is provided at no direct cost to the researcher — PIPE's commercial model is based on shared value creation at later stages, not upfront fees from individuals.
Submit an Innovation

Tell us about
your discovery.

Start the conversation. Your submission is confidential — no inventive step will be disclosed, and no commercial engagement will proceed without your consent. Initial submissions are free.

✓
Confidential and IP-safe from the first interaction
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No cost to the researcher at the submission stage
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Response within 10 working days with a viability summary
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No obligation to proceed beyond initial assessment

Do not disclose your inventive step or any unpublished methodology at this stage.

By submitting, you confirm that you are authorised to share this information and that you have read our Privacy Policy.

Not ready to submit yet?
That is perfectly fine.

Download the PIPE overview, explore the Lab to IPO Pathway, or simply get in touch for an informal conversation. There is no pressure and no obligation.

Download PIPE Overview →Contact the Team