Today, academic faculty and companies alike are asking: How do we find the right partner? How do we align with government priorities to secure funding? Over the years, I have negotiated thousands of research collaborations across industry, academia, and government. One lesson stands out: successful partnerships do not happen by accident—they are built on insight, alignment, due diligence and earning the trust of your partners and funders.
Try these tactics for increasing your success rate at university-industry research collaboration:
1. Do Your Homework Before Approaching a Partner
Too many collaboration proposals fall flat because the groundwork has not been done. Do not miss this opportunity to build trust. It starts when a potential partner sees that you understand their needs as well as your own.
Before reaching out:
- Check your proposed partner’s track record. Learn who they have collaborated with in the past and whether the collaborations resulted in joint publications.
- Know their competitors. If they say, “we don’t have any,” be sceptical. Every good idea attracts competition.
- Understand their motivations. For academics, the primary driver is normally publications. For industry, it is innovation and impact. For governments, it is jobs, domestic investment, and sometimes national security.
2. Use Databases to Identify Collaborators
You do not need to guess who is active in your research space. If you are looking for a partner, start with the data. It will tell you more than a glossy brochure or a chance meeting at a conference. Try these databases:
- UK – Gateway to Research: Free database of 160,000+ United Kingdom Research and Innovation grants. Search by topic, PI, company, or university.
- US equivalents:
- NIH RePORTER(biomedical/health)
- NSF Award Search(science & engineering)
- gov(all federal research grants)
- DOE PAGES / OSTI.gov(energy research)
- Elsevier SciVal: A subscription tool most universities have. Maps research activity, co-publications, and citation impact. Great for spotting who is publishing in your field and corporate research collaborations.
Align with Government Funding Priorities
Governments publish technology roadmaps that function as blueprints for where the money will flow. Right now, across the UK and US, the lists are strikingly similar:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Quantum
- Clean Energy & Sustainability
- Life Sciences & Biotechnology
- Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics
- Cybersecurity & Digital Security
- Space & Aerospace Technologies
4. Remember the Power of Co-Publication
One more point worth stressing to all research academics: Publications with industry partners significantly increase citation impact. In many cases, the Field Weighted Citation Impact doubles when academics co-publish with companies compared to publishing alone. That means stronger visibility for researchers, and stronger credibility for companies. A true win-win.
The Bottom Line
Strong collaborations are built on data, alignment, and trust. Use databases to find the right partners, align your proposals with government priorities, and build relationships that deliver impact and recognition.
The tools are there. The opportunities are there. The question is: Are you ready to make the most of them?
Malcolm Skingle
UI Collab Consultant