With established links to thousands of world-class leading experts, Interface finds and introduces companies to the perfect academic partner.
Key Stats, April 2020
Now in its fifteenth year of the project, Interface has introduced over 3192 businesses to academic partners and its success story is reflected in the following:
- 5114 expertise search specifications have been forwarded to academic partners
- 2252 company and university collaborative projects initiated
- 97% of businesses said that their project would either not have happened or taken longer without support from Interface
- 92% of expertise searches identified capability and capacity within partner universities, research institutes and colleges for consideration by the companies
- 83% of businesses recorded reduced operating costs, increased productivity, profits, export, turnover and new or safeguarded employment
- 71% of first-time company/university collaborations involved companies seeking expertise in a discipline different to their own business sector
Businesses supported by Interface add an estimated £64.2 million GVA into the economy each year through new services, processes or products, or efficiencies leading to cost savings.
- 79% of enquiries presented to Scottish universities / research institutions are from Scottish SMEs
- 8% of enquiries presented to Scottish universities / research institutions are from larger Scottish companies
- 13% of enquiries presented to Scottish universities / research institutions are from the rest of the UK & International organisations
Interface supports all sizes of SMEs to undertake projects with Universities / Research Institutes:
- 17% of companies supported by Interface are start-ups (based on 1 employee)
- 22% of companies supported by Interface are micro companies (less than 10 employees)
- 56% of companies supported by Interface are small companies (less than 50 employees)
- 5% of companies supported by Interface are medium sized companies (less than 250 employees)