Our collaborators

Featured collaborators

Bioclocks, University of Leicester & John Innes Centre

BioClocks and University of Leicester are bringing together researchers and industry professionals in a problem-solving and networking workshop at the John Innes Centre on the 16th of September to identify how chronobiology may help tackle challenges in the vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture industries. The day will begin with a networking workshop for early-career researchers, followed by short talks from both industry and academia, before a problem-solving collaborative session. The day will end with a funder session, dedicated to enabling new collaborations to develop.

Teesside University

Teesside University’s Centre for Biodiscovery is delivering three DBAA initiatives – a Researcher Workshop, a Workplace Visit, and a Networking Event – between September and November 2026, targeting postgraduate and early-career researchers in the School of Health and Life Sciences. Their One Health research framework spans diagnostics, environmental science, food innovation, industrial biotechnology, and healthcare, creating strong alignment with our seventeen confirmed industry partners, including ConocoPhillips, MOMA Foods, Sterling Pharma Solutions, and Cognitive HealthTech. They aim to equip researchers with the confidence, skills, and networks to engage meaningfully beyond academia, embedding all three activities within our ENRICH researcher development programme for long-term sustainability.

University of Northampton

The University of Northampton is collaborating with the DBAA project to support the development of business-aware researchers. Working alongside their Graduate School, Early Career Researcher Network, Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise teams, Business Representative Organisations, and regional industry partners, they will deliver a researcher workshop and networking event designed to encourage dialogue between researchers and external organisations. Bringing together doctoral and early-career researchers from a range of disciplines, the initiative will provide opportunities to build connections, share perspectives, and explore engagement beyond academia. The programme will also contribute to institutional learning and support their ongoing commitment to developing researchers who are confident in engaging with organisations, communities, and real-world challenges.

Ravensbourne University London & Goldsmith University of London

Ravensbourne are delivering a DBAA-funded researcher development activity at IPOL 2026: a two-hour Researcher Workshop leading directly into a researcher–industry networking session. The activity will test whether structured preparation, including pitch development, stakeholder mapping and a collaboration canvas can turn conference networking into meaningful partnership opportunities. The target audience is academic staff (mostly early career researchers), postdoctoral researchers and doctoral candidates, alongside industry delegates. Collaborators include Ravensbourne University London’s Knowledge Exchange and Research Office, Goldsmiths, University of London, and IPOL industry partners. Expected benefits include greater researcher confidence, stronger industry connections, and a pipeline of consultancy and collaborative research opportunities, with outcomes evaluated post event and after six months.

University of Birmingham & UKFin+ Network

UKFin+ is taking part in the DBAA trial because their project’s core mission is to bridge the gap between academic research and the needs of industry and wider non-academic partners in financial services. They will recruit a cohort of PhD students and early-career researchers interested in financial services and FinTech. By delivering this programme, they aim to help the cohort become more commercially aware, better able to understand industry challenges, and more confident in shaping research that is relevant beyond academia. Expected outcomes include stronger awareness of how research can align with industry needs, improved confidence in communicating to non-academic audiences, and a researcher community better equipped to build effective academic–industry collaborations.

University of Westminster

The University of Westminster are taking part in the DBAA trial to build capacity for enterprise and entrepreneurship in HE, particularly for PGRs and ECRs in the creative and related industries. As expectations grow for HE to demonstrate the value of research developed with industry, researchers need stronger skills in networking, collaboration, research translation, commercialisation and risk awareness. Zone29, their facility to connect academics and industry, is the perfect place for University of Westminster, University of Greenwich and University of West London researchers to collaborate, with DBAA expertise helping them to develop a dynamic, sector-informed programme that strengthens confidence, industry engagement and future collaboration.

York St John University

York St John University is participating in the DBAA trial to strengthen knowledge exchange capability among doctoral and early-career researchers and support a more externally engaged research culture. Through a researcher workshop for 25-30 participants, they will develop skills in collaboration, communication, networking and research impact. Delivery will involve colleagues from knowledge exchange, researcher development and impact teams, alongside external partners including the Federation of Small Businesses and industry contributors. Expected outcomes include increased researcher confidence, stronger university-business engagement, enhanced research impact and a sustainable model for embedding knowledge exchange within researcher development provision

Northeastern University London

Northeastern University London’s young Doctoral School is piloting business-engagement training ahead of their Research Degree Awarding Powers application, responding to survey data showing strong researcher interest in non-academic careers. They are running a mandatory Researcher Workshop (30 Oct) and a Networking Event (11 Nov), reaching around 45 PGRs across seven disciplines plus Early Career Researchers. Delivery involves the Doctoral School, Research Impact & Culture, our Partnerships team, and 20–25 industry/policy/third-sector partners. They expect researchers to gain communication and networking skills while NU London tests a sustainable, repeatable model for future cohorts.

Nottingham Trent University (NTU)

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has a strong culture of practice and external engagement. The workshops fit naturally into their internal CPD offer, helping PGR and early career academics to get their business engagement off the ground as early as possible to maximise their impact. NTU’s Institute for Knowledge Exchange Practice (IKEP) is well placed to deliver the DBAA programme, as it is embedded in KE activity and practice across the University. NTU’s close relationship with the Creative and Digital Industry (CDI) made a guided networking event between academics and CDI businesses a natural fit.

The Open University & Ulster University Business School

The Open University Business School in partnership with Ulster University Business School is bringing together doctoral students and ECRs with external industry contributors for a two-stage researcher development and knowledge exchange initiative. The programme will be delivered across two main geographic areas: Milton Keynes (South East England) and Belfast (Northern Ireland) between November and December 2026. The aim of the programme is to help researchers develop the confidence and practical skills needed to engage with organisations outside higher education, including businesses, public bodies, voluntary sector organisations and policy or civic partners. The programme combines researcher development workshops, workplace visits, cross-institutional networking and engagement with external practitioners.