Research at UK universities is some of the best in the world. One way they turn that research into change is through commercialisation.
Universities across the UK produce high-quality research. Over 80% of this research is considered world-leading or internationally excellent. Commercialisation is the process by which universities turn some of that research into products and services.
Universities across the UK produce high-quality research. Over 80% of this research is considered world-leading or internationally excellent.
These products and services can be wide ranging, for example:
Through commercialisation, our universities:
These impacts can be seen at all levels, whether it’s creating an internationally recognised product, or supporting local businesses to grow and create jobs
Commercialisation is one of the many approaches universities can take when it comes to delivering impact from research. Not all research done by universities is done with the intention of being commercialised, or appropriate for it.
A lot of research is done to push forward our understanding and to lay the groundwork for future breakthroughs. It’s important to remember that commercialised research is in no way more or less valuable than other research.
Multiple groups need to work together to make commercialisation happen, including:
In 2020–21, universities provided contract research worth £1.4 billion.
Each university will have different ways of commercialising their research. But there are two common ways that commercialisation happens: through either contract research, or non-contract research.
A commercial partner will approach a university based on the strengths of the institution or their academic staff. They’ll ask that the university do research to solve a specific problem.
The university and partner will agree on some objectives, and the research will be managed under a commercial agreement.
By funding the research, the commercial partner will often have first rights to the end product.
In 2020–21, universities provided contract research worth £1.4 billion.
Academics are involved in huge amounts of research, some of which may be appropriate for commercialisation, and some of which won’t be.
While doing research, academics themselves or a university’s professional services team will identify whether the research has potential for commercialisation.
The professional services team will then use their expertise to support the academic to turn their research into products, including:
To ensure that it is fit for purpose, the researchers and professional services teams may evaluate and do market research to improve the product or service.
In 2020–21, nearly 2,500 active university spin-outs and social enterprises employed over 40,000 people and turned over an estimated £8.5 billion.
The end result is dependent on the type of product or service that is being developed.
Usually, the concept will either be licensed to an existing organisation or ‘spun out’ into a new company.
This is the process of the university granting an organisation permission to do something with the idea – for example, allowing an organisation to use or sell the product of the research.
Licenses can be complex and have conditions, such as where a partner can use the product or service, what they can use it for, and how long for.
This means expert support is essential.
In 2020–21, universities had 24,552 active licenses for software they created and granted to external partners, and 16,695 licenses for other non-software intellectual property.
Spinning out is the process of turning an idea into a brand new company based around the idea. These can be graduate or staff start-ups, be fully or partly owned by the universities themselves.
Researchers might get involved in the company, and professional services teams will usually give business advice.
Research is complex, expensive and commercially risky. Because of this, commercial businesses will be less likely to take on research themselves.
Universities, on the other hand, are interested in intellectual curiosity. They attract experts and have world class facilities and resources to use to develop new ideas. Most commercial partners don’t have access to these, so rely on universities to do high-risk, high-reward research.
In the next five years, universities will provide £11.6 billion worth of support to businesses and charities and 21,650 new businesses and charities will be formed.
It’s predicted that in the next five years, universities will provide £11.6 billion worth of support to businesses and charities and 21,650 new businesses and charities will be formed.
Universities need stable and sustainable government funding to support, grow, and maximise the impact of their relationships with commercial partners.
Thanks to Chris Baker, Knowledge Exchange Policy & Economic Development Manager, Sheffield Hallam University, and James Kitson, Head of Commercialisation, University of York for their expert contributions to this article.
