IP Group Plc is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in seed, early stage, start-up, incubation, and mature financing. The firm also provides seed capital financing to spin out companies from the universities. It seeks to invest in the life sciences, physical sciences, energy & renewables, medical equipment and supplies, healthcare, technology, cleantech, intellectual property, pharmaceuticals & biotechnology, information technology & communications, and chemicals & materials. It also provides support for its university partners' intellectual property commercialization activities, as well as in the identification of intellectual property and in return takes equity positions in its portfolio companies. IP Group Plc was founded in 2001 and is based in London, United Kingdom with additional offices in Wilmington, Delaware; London, United Kingdom; Oxford, United Kingdom; and Melbourne, Australia.