Business-to-Business (B2B) Technology Transfer Research Programme: A MULTIPLY, QinetiQ and Cranfield University Collaboration
How can technology be transferred from large engineering businesses in the UK to other businesses? What is business-to-business (B2B) technology transfer and how can we effectively deliver transfer programmes?
This Autumn MULTIPLY set out with QinetiQ and Cranfield University to answer these questions. The B2B Technology Transfer PhD Research Programme aims to understand the characteristics of B2B technology transfer, toward the development of a B2B technology transfer delivery model. This research enables an understanding of where there are gaps in knowledge and aims to provide the tools, knowledge, and skills for businesses to pro-actively undertake B2B technology transfer. Building sustainable, revenue generating, de-risked business for the future.
When I founded MULTIPLY in 2015, a business-to-business (B2B) technology transfer service agency, I set a mission to challenge the way we build technology companies. Moving from linear single applications of technology (prevalent in advanced engineering) to new cross-sector applications, growing laterally, diversifying product portfolios and de-risking businesses.
I have seen with MULTIPLY’s clients and broader network the desire to do B2B technology transfer, but the reticence to really invest due, in part, to a lack of knowledge and skills[1]. This was the first practical challenge; the second challenge was conceptual – there is no clear understanding of what B2B technology transfer is. This is where the research programme is starting from.
My PhD research on the programme will be supervised by Dr. Richard Adams (Reader in Entrepreneurship at the Bettany Centre) and Professor Philip Longhurst (Centre for Climate and Environmental Protection) at Cranfield University. We hope to stimulate conversation and awareness around B2B technology transfer in industry, government, and academia. What it really means, where it sits in business and government landscapes, and how we can optimise delivery in industry.
“At the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship we are delighted to be involved in this exciting and important research. With its strong traditions in technical and management-related research and teaching, Cranfield University is ideally suited as the home for this PhD research and the supervisory team brings expertise in both domains. The focus on B2B technology transfer in advanced engineering firms is long overdue both in terms of the research literature as well as for practical application. The research promises findings with important implications for both. “
Dr Richard Adams, Reader in Entrepreneurship,
Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship, Cranfield University School of Management.
“Ensuring results that deliver real-world impact is an important consideration of Cranfield’s research and cross-university collaboration has the potential to test and enhance practical translation. This study originates from Natasha’s in-depth experience of technology transfer in industry and brings together supervision expertise from the Dr. Richard Adams in the School of Management and myself in the School of Water, Energy & Environment. Our view is that such a multiple perspective approach gives new opportunities for critical review of current research, differing views on data access, and the opportunity to evaluate ideas in a manner which will enhance the transferability of the findings.”
Professor of Environment and Energy Technology, Philip Longhurst,
Centre for Renewable Low Carbon Energy, Cranfield University School of Water, Energy and Environment.
QinetiQ are our industry partners on the research programme, we will be working closely with the Technical Capability and Innovation team in the CTO Group. Enabling knowledge share and collaborative research to generate data from real-world scenarios, providing insight into B2B technology transfer from within a world leading integrated solutions company.
“This research is the starting point for a whole new discussion around B2B technology transfer. We hope to stimulate new research, challenging existing assumptions, empower the adoption and application of knowledge and tools in industry. We seek to work collaboratively across industry and academia to enable everyone to build better in more creative innovative ways AND play their part in advancing learning through the application of science breakthroughs and emerging technologies.”
Saba Shaukat, Group Director Technical Capability and Offerings CTO Group,
QinetiQ
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Author: Natasha Allden
[1] https://room.eu.com/article/space-technology-transfer-today-and-tomorrow
Notes for editors
MULTIPLY Global Ltd.
Incorporated in 2015, MULTIPLY works with advanced engineering companies to multiply value of their technology through business-to-business (B2B) technology transfer. We have realised over £40m across a portfolio of advanced engineering clients specialising in space, aerospace, automotive, energy, recycling, security, and transport. We provide technology transfer services for software and hardware technology from advanced engineering sectors. Identifying, designing, and delivering the transfer of technology into new applications.
Cranfield University: About the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship
The Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship focuses on the study and facilitation of entrepreneurial growth and aims to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of high growth businesses by closely linking research, education, and practice. It also acts as the Entrepreneurial Hub for Cranfield University working closely with the Research Innovation Office to provide entrepreneurship support to all students, faculty, and staff across campus.
The Bettany Centre was established in 2006 following the generous endowment of Tim Bettany (MBA, 1969). The team consists of faculty and staff supported by visiting fellows from industry and academia. An advisory board of senior industry experts serves as a sounding board and strategic advisor for the Centre.
We support the entrepreneurship ecosystem from ideation to growth by empowering the entrepreneurs of today, tomorrow and the future.
https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/research-centres/bettany-centre-for-entrepreneurship
QinetiQ