Drawing on experience from both industry and technology transfer, Dr Brendan Ludden, Oxford University Innovation Limited explains how option agreements and development licences enable businesses to access promising university innovations earlier, manage risk effectively, and build strong pathways to commercialisation.

Konfer works directly with universities and research institutions to support knowledge exchange, industry engagement, and research collaboration events - attending in person to introduce the platform where it is most relevant. Types of events konfer supports Konfer attends a range of university and innovation events, including: Internal research forums and departmental meetings University-business engagement days and industry showcases Knowledge exchange and partnership

Whether you're looking to solve a technical challenge, access specialist labs, tap into cutting-edge research, or develop your workforce, the right university partnership can open doors that are hard to unlock any other way. If your business has never worked with a university before, the idea can sound more complicated than it is. Yet working with a university can give your business access to expertise, equipment, and research talent that would be difficult or expensive to

Many businesses assume university collaboration is complex or out of reach. It isn't. Universities work with organisations of all sizes, across every sector, on everything from short consultancy projects to student placements. You don't need prior experience or academic knowledge to get started. NCUB's konfer platform makes it even simpler, connecting businesses with university expertise in one place. The first step is just a conversation.

Collaboration between businesses and universities in the UK is one of the most powerful ways to drive innovation, access cutting-edge research, and accelerate growth. Whether you’re an SME looking for technical expertise or a large organisation exploring R&D partnerships, the UK offers a rich ecosystem, but navigating it isn’t always straightforward. This guide explains how business–university collaboration works, the main routes available, and how to find the right partner e

You can stay up-to-date on new collaboration partnership opportunities from a wide range of organisations looking for expertise in your...