Strategic Partners, Not Service Providers: What Companies Really Seek in Research Collaboration

As innovation cycles accelerate and competition intensifies, businesses are under increasing pressure to deliver results — fast. In this environment, research collaboration isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a strategic move.

But collaboration is not without friction. While universities and research institutions offer deep expertise, access to talent, and cutting-edge ideas, businesses must carefully assess how — and with whom — they collaborate. The stakes are high: a poorly structured partnership can slow progress or dilute focus. A well-aligned one, on the other hand, can unlock real competitive advantage.

From the industry perspective, effective partnerships are not built on transactional exchanges or one-off projects. Companies are looking for research entities that understand their strategic goals and can flexibly engage with real-world constraints. In many cases, this means looking for partners who can demonstrate:

• Clarity of purpose: Businesses want to know how a collaboration will help them innovate, scale, or differentiate. Vague objectives or misaligned expectations are red flags.
• Operational compatibility: Timelines, IP strategies, and project management approaches can either support or strain a partnership. For companies, alignment on these fronts is critical.
• Mutual commitment: A shared vision and long-term mindset often matter more than short-term deliverables.

And yet, even when motivations align, bridging the cultural and structural gap between industry and academia remains a challenge. Companies may find the pace of academic research too slow, or struggle with open-ended scopes that lack clear milestones. Meanwhile, researchers may feel pressured by commercial timelines or constrained by corporate confidentiality.

These complexities will take centre stage at ASTP’s Thematic Event Academia – Industry Collaborations taking place on 28-29 October, during the session Bridging Industry and Research – A Business Perspective on Collaboration. Bringing together leaders from a range of industries, this session offers a rare opportunity to hear firsthand how companies approach research partnerships, what they truly value, and how they overcome the challenges of aligning scientific and business goals.

Whether you're part of a Knowledge Transfer Office, a researcher, or already working at the intersection of academia and industry, this discussion will provide valuable insights to strengthen your collaboration strategies.

Interested?

Discover more about the event:
• Watch our latest Tea with ASTP Webinar on the topic

Register now!