The University of Leeds has again performed strongly in this year's Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF).
The University scored especially highly in the areas of working with the public and third sector, and in intellectual property (IP) and commercialisation, ranking in the top 20% of UK universities for both categories.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, Professor Nick Plant said: “Our performance highlights the University's vital work with businesses, public sector organisations and community groups to share knowledge and turn pioneering ideas into tangible impact.
“By supporting the development of spin-out companies, we are helping ensure that these ideas reach the people and industries that can benefit from them most, driving economic growth across the region and beyond.”
The KEF is a tool that helps universities and policymakers understand how higher education is driving forwards to achieve economic growth and societal benefit across England.
KEF was designed by Research England to shine a light on how different universities collaborate with businesses, communities, and public services.
Leeds is in the top quintile for income from consultancy, contract research and use of our facilities by the public and third sectors, and records high levels of contract research income from both large businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The University also achieved a very high proportion of co-authored publications with non-academic partners, above the average for our cluster.
“Our performance highlights the University's vital work with businesses, public sector organisations and community groups to share knowledge and turn pioneering ideas into tangible impact.”
IP and Commercialisation
In IP and commercialisation, the University stands out for attracting the highest levels of external investment for our spin-out companies, which report high average turnover. Leeds is also above the cluster average for the number of graduate start-ups created by students.
The commercialisation team works closely with academics to translate pioneering research into innovative businesses that deliver real-world impact. Leeds spin-outs continue to secure significant external investment, supporting growth in sectors ranging from food technology and health to medical diagnostics and artificial intelligence (AI).
Recent examples include MicroLub Ltd, which is developing patent-protected fat-replacement and nutrient delivery ingredients with applications in food, health and beauty.
Other promising spin-outs include IVFmicro Ltd, working to improve the efficiency of in vitro fertilisation, and Coretech Sciences Ltd, which is using an AI-powered optimisation platform to derisk pharmaceutical processes bringing drugs to market more quickly Both are expected to attract new investment in the coming weeks.
To explore the KEF5 results and learn more about how the framework works, visit the dedicated website.