Imperial has been awarded close to £6.5 million in UK government funding to accelerate the impact of research.
Imperial is a community of creative thinkers who push the boundaries of knowledge, knowing that scientific breakthroughs are needed to deliver solutions to our major global challenges Professor Mary Ryan Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise)
The Impact Acceleration Account awards, from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will provide flexible funding to drive the commercialisation of new technologies, support engagement with key partners and stakeholders, and advance changes to public policy based on the College's world-leading research.
Imperial's award, which is one of the highest in the UK, is part of a £118 million investment over three years by UKRI which aims to support knowledge exchange, translation and commercialisation at UK research institutions.
The news follows Imperial's best-ever results in the UK's Research Excellence Framework (REF), which showed that Imperial has a greater proportion of "world-leading" research than any other UK university and is top of the Russell Group for research impact.
Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise), said: "Imperial is a community of creative thinkers who push the boundaries of knowledge, knowing that scientific breakthroughs are needed to deliver solutions to our major global challenges. This funding will support their ideas, paving the way to the new technologies, businesses solutions, policy and societal engagement we will need for a better, more sustainable and healthier future."
UKRI Director of Commercialisation Tony Soteriou, said: "The UK is home to some of the brightest, most innovative and creative research teams in the world. They have the ideas and they have the entrepreneurial energy to create businesses and services that could turn sectors on their head. What they need, what every great commercial idea needs, is support in the critical early stages.
"The Impact Acceleration Account is the catalyst that allows projects to grow to the next level, attracting investment, forging partnerships and creating jobs."
The award is the first to come from UKRI's harmonised Impact Acceleration Account scheme, which brings together awards from five research councils including the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Medical Research Council (MRC) and Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
