Commercialisation offers researchers a powerful pathway to translate academic insights into real-world solutions. For Professor Sally Gainsbury, a leading academic in the Faculty of Science, this journey has been driven by a commitment to reducing gambling harm and promoting digital well-being.
As Founder of Bet Well, a social venture spun out of the University of Sydney, her experience demonstrates how commercialisation can create impact beyond financial returns by delivering meaningful social change.
From research to real-world problem-solving Bet Well emerged from years of applied research into gambling psychology. “Gambling is an area you can’t study in a lab,” Sally explains. “It’s highly applied, and the harms are real.”
Frustrated by the limitations of existing harm-reduction tools, she began exploring what people truly needed when betting online. Through student-led projects and co-design with target users, Sally discovered a critical gap: most people had no idea how much they were spending. “On average, people are 100% inaccurate in estimating their gambling spend,” she says.
Bet Well was born to solve this problem by helping users track spending, understand its personal impact, and adopt sustainable habits. Unlike traditional spin-outs, Bet Well is a social enterprise, prioritising prevention and affordability rather than profit. A different kind of Spin-Out Bet Well’s journey reflects a broader evolution in commercialisation, embracing ventures that prioritise social impact.
Proof-of-concept funding from the University’s Commercialisation Office was pivotal. “It transformed Bet Well from a passion project into something legitimate,” Sally recalls. The $80,000 grant enabled her to hire a postdoc, host stakeholder workshops, and build a working prototype with a UK software partner. “I never felt alone in the process and the support was incredible. At one point, Jeremy Cohen from the Commercialisation Office was jumping on calls at 8pm to help us negotiate with developers.”
This funding also allowed Sally to pitch Bet Well at a major conference alongside tech startups and AI ventures.
We were up against companies pitching cutting-edge technology. To have Bet Well recognised in that space was a huge moment.
Lessons in Flexibility and Stakeholder Engagement Commercialisation have reshaped Sally’s academic perspective. “I had to make trade-offs,” she admits. “Not every component could become a publication. Sometimes the priority was building a product people would actually use.”
Her approach emphasised co-design and continuous feedback. “We didn’t rush to make it pretty and hope it worked. We built mock-ups, tested them with users, refined them, and repeated the process. That’s something academia doesn’t always teach you.”
Engaging with industry and regulators also broadened her thinking. “I’ve learned to think about implementation from day one and query how will this work in practice? Who are the stakeholders? What motivates them?” Sally now regularly attends non-academic conferences, reaches out to industry leaders on LinkedIn, and even sprinkles Bet Well into casual conversations.
The more you talk about your idea, the clearer it becomes.
Impact Beyond Academia
For Sally, commercialisation isn’t just about creating a product, it’s about creating impact. “I’ve seen too many tools built in eMental Health that work in trials but fail in the real world because no one uses them. We flipped that. We started with what people want and built from there.” Her work has also enriched teaching and mentoring. “Students see real- world application of research. They learn that impact isn’t just about publishing papers and it’s about solving problems.”
Advice for Academics: Start with the ‘So What’
Sally’s advice is clear: Start with impact.
“Every project should answer the ‘so what.’ What difference will this make in the world?” Map your stakeholders early. “Understand their pain points, motivations, and pathways to influence.” Seek feedback relentlessly. “Don’t wait for a finished product. Talk about your ideas, test them, refine them.”
“Commercialisation isn’t an either-or choice,” she says. “You don’t have to give up your academic career. It’s about creating impact which is what we’re all here for.” This article is part of the University of Sydney’s Commercialisation Café Chat with Rising Stars series. To explore how commercialisation could enhance your research and career, contact the Commercialisation Office for support and guidance.
This article is part of the University of Sydney’s Commercialisation Café Chat with Rising Stars series.
Watch the full episode of the Commercialisation Cafe with Professor Sally Gainsbury on Sharepoint
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