The hidden value of research facilities
Research institutes often face challenges in effectively promoting their facilities to industry professionals. While spin-outs and IP licensing opportunities tend to receive significant attention, facilities can lag behind in engagement.
To explore this issue, we spoke with Dr. Izhar Ul-Haq, Business Development Manager at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), part of UK Research & Innovation (UKRI).
Marketing facilities on Inpart Connect
Inpart's Connect platform is not just a space for IP licensing; it also offers research institutes the opportunity to showcase spin-outs, early-stage collaborative projects, expertise, and facilities. Although spin-outs generally perform well, marketing research facilities has proven more difficult. Why is this the case?
STFC's approach to industry engagement
STFC is a research council that funds scientific projects and provides world-class research facilities for both independent researchers and industry, including the pharmaceutical sector.
Dr. Ul-Haq explained that Business Development Managers like himself are responsible for promoting these facilities, engaging with industry and discerning how STFC can help professionals overcome challenges. Companies can access STFC's facilities either through paid access or via funding schemes. Dr. Ul-Haq connects interested companies with STFC scientists to explore how to best use their equipment and expertise.
What facilities does STFC represent?
STFC manages large-scale science facilities across the UK (Edinburgh, Oxfordshire, Rutherford), including particle accelerators, high-performance computing, and neutron, laser, and X-ray sources. Major facilities include the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, the Central Laser Facility, the Diamond Light Source, the Boulby Underground Laboratory, and the RAL Space and High-Performance Computing facilities.
According to Dr. Ul-Haq, “the more well-known facilities, like the Diamond Light Source, ISIS Neutron, and the Central Laser Facility, tend to be the most popular. Once companies form relationships with these facilities, they frequently return.” However, he noted that STFC has a harder time marketing lesser-known facilities, as people are “less familiar with other laser and neutron facilities, whose uses aren't commonly understood.”
Does STFC produce IP for licensing?
Although STFC doesn't typically engage in R&D to develop products, they do patent new techniques that emerge from their facilities. On average, STFC spins out 1.5 companies per year or licenses these technologies to third parties. When a company uses STFC facilities, they typically retain the IP for any technology developed, but STFC can request access to those IP rights for internal use.
Collaborating with industry and academia
Academics can access STFC's facilities for free as long as their data is made publicly available. For industry professionals, use of the facilities typically requires payment unless they engage in a funding program such as the Industry Impact Fund, which pays for companies to access STFC facilities.
Dr. Ul-Haq explained that these funding programs aim to help solve industrial challenges: “We've got funding schemes designed to support industry in using our facilities, and all the options are available on the UKRI funding calculator.”
Coconut yogurt and spectroscopy
One of STFC's success stories involves a company producing coconut yogurt. The company had to manually taste-test batches of coconut milk to ensure quality, a method that was time-consuming, expensive, and unreliable. STFC developed a spectroscopic method to automate this process, allowing for faster, more accurate detection of spoilage.
This collaboration highlights an important lesson. As Dr. Ul-Haq said, “The connection between spectroscopy and coconut yogurt isn't always obvious, and a company might not make the connection themselves if your facility summary focuses on technical details over use cases.” This underscores the importance of using case studies and real-world applications when marketing facilities to industry.
Common marketing mistakes
When asked about common mistakes in marketing facilities, Dr. Ul-Haq identified one major issue:
“Too much information. That's a classic one, I do that all the time as well. The danger there is, firstly, we've got so many facilities, and secondly, the amount of technical aspects can be overwhelming, especially if the audience comes from a non-technical background. You can lose their attention, and that's a classic mistake.”
On Inpart, we see similar challenges. Facility summaries often focus too much on technical specifications rather than potential applications. For instance, when promoting an electron microscope, a brief technical overview is sufficient. It's usually more effective to highlight how the microscope can be used in specific industries, such as testing products.
How to start marketing a new facility
Dr. Ul-Haq also shared his approach to marketing a brand-new facility. He emphasized two key strategies:
1. Have a target audience
“If this new facility is marketed to industry, marketing must be very targeted, and hopefully a case study can come out of a specific company using the facility.”
DIDr. Izhar Ul-HaqHe gave the example of a beamline developed for detecting single events in electronics. STFC targeted specific companies for this facility, which led to successful case studies.
2. Use your network
“We have a new X-ray Photonics Application Centre that came out of the Central Laser Facility. We approached relevant companies and initially offered them free access in exchange for test samples, which we can use to generate case studies. That way, the facility becomes more marketable.”
DIDr. Izhar Ul-Haq