Spin-off

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"Offshoot" redirects here. For the plant, see Offshoot (plant). For the game show Spin-Off, see Spin-Off.

A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one, such as a television series based on a pre-existing one, or as a new company formed from a university research group. In literature, especially in milieu based popular fictional book series like mysteries, westerns, fantasy, or science fiction the term sub-series is generally used instead of spin-off, but with essentially the same meaning.

Spin-offs as a descriptive term can also include a dissenting faction of a membership organization, a sect of a cult, a denomination of a church, In business, a spin-off is essentially the opposite of a merger. In computing, a spin-off from a software project is often called a fork.

1 Corporate spinoff
2 Government spinoff
3 Media spinoff
4 Research spinoff
5 External links
6 See also

[edit] Corporate spinoff

Main article: spin out

The common definition of Spin out is when a division of a company or organization becomes an independent business.

[edit] Government spinoff

Civilian goods which are the result of military or governmental research are also known as spinoffs.

[edit] Media spinoff

Main article: Spin-off (media)

Media spin off is the process of deriving new radio or television programs from existing ones.

[edit] Research spinoff

A research spinoff is a new company based on the findings of a member or by members of a research group at a university.

The term is also used for concepts or products spun off a research project, for example methods or materials pioneered during the Manhattan Project (spin-off: Commercial Nuclear Power) or during the Space Race (spin-offs: Many, Integrated Circuits and hence most modern electronics, freeze-dried foods, satellites, et-cetera, and et. al.).