Explore how a UBC research partnership can amplify your organization’s impact.
Universities and industry can be very effective partners in generating innovation. As universities can bring a broad, cross-functional approach to solving complex societal questions, our partners bring real-world opportunities to integrate discoveries into new or improved applications. Together, we can translate innovation into impact. Bring your research questions to UBC’s Innovation Partnerships team, and we’ll co-develop a partnership plan, where discovery meets innovation.
A Common Model: Sponsored Research
A sponsored research approach works well when an industry partner brings a specific issue that closely aligns with the interests of a university researcher. These research partnerships are generally focussed around a single field of study and while mutually beneficial, they can miss the opportunity to co-ideate a more innovative approach.
Towards a Broader Engagement Model: Innovation Discovery Partnerships
In addition to sponsored research, we build impactful relationships with industry partners looking to address immediate, medium and long-term innovation problems. These can often cover broader and often exploratory research questions (e.g. new applications for technology platforms, or larger, complex social, health or environmental challenges requiring an interdisciplinary approach).
How we can help
The UBC Innovation Partnerships team is developing and managing a new Innovation Discovery Partnership model to help you to:
- connect with UBC’s research programs integrating sector-specific expertise and relationships across both campuses and affiliated institutes
- identify shared ambitions and mutually beneficial priorities
- develop shared projects and goals
- enable these goals to inform the collaboration: from project design through to implementation and the translation of research outputs
The multi-stage approach
We use a multi-stage approach to create value for UBC and our partners:
- Stage 1: DESIGN – Discovery Team Creation and Alignment
To maximize value in the partnership, we start by building a Discovery Team from the university research ecosystem with expertise in science translation and strategic decision-making. A steering committee brings both partners together, ensuring alignment on over-arching goals, desired outcomes and partner needs. - Stage 2: DEVELOP – Project Ideation and Development
Participants are recruited from diverse research fields with expertise addressing the partner’s defined interests, as well as options for the translation and sharing of research outcomes. The steering committee reviews proposed projects with a lens on multi-perspective, cross-domain potential. Additional options are explored to unlock fund matching and student talent programs to double or triple the original investment. - Stage 3: EVALUATE – Project Execution, Review and Outcomes Planning
The steering committee reviews research outcomes against objectives, sometimes leading to new or unanticipated results. Alternate pathways are explored to generate translational impact or lead to new, or additional, research extensions.
The benefit to partners
- Research-driven innovation — tap into UBC’s research powerhouse: leading-edge infrastructure, equipment and materials, and exploring tech transfer and commercialization opportunities
- Talent diversity — access a pipeline of student talent that offers diversity of thought and expertise; unlock talent fund-matching
- Leveraged investment — multiply your research investment by unlocking federal, provincial and other funding programs
- Stakeholder engagement — share research outcomes through symposia or workshops, use the knowledge to drive impact via policy, regulatory or training and certification changes; further leverage UBC’s reputation for joint/trade media impressions