With established links to thousands of world-class leading experts, Interface finds and introduces companies to the perfect academic partner.

Key Stats, February 2021

Now in its sixteenth year of operating, Interface’s success story is reflected in the following:

  • 5597 business-led expertise searches sent to academic partners
  • Facilitated 3420 business-academic discussions
  • 2622 collaborative business-academic 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

The contribution to the Scottish economy from research and development projects between businesses and academics enabled by Interface was £88.9m GVA, and supported 1,595 jobs, with expectations to reach £222.3 million GVA (gross value added) and 3,193 jobs.

  • Interface is crucial to Scotland’s economic resilience
  • Interface’s place-based approach means that all rural and urban businesses and communities can access innovation support
  • Interface delivers right across Scottish Government priorities including health, environment, communities, education, young people, and international development
  • Interface brokers projects that deliver short term impacts, e.g. responding to COVID-19, as well as contributing to longer term targets, like net zero
  • 75% of businesses have ongoing relationships with universities through Interface’s service
  • The Interface team creates enduring and effective R&D relationships between businesses and universities 
  • The Interface team are effective, knowledgeable and build trust with businesses
  • 85% of businesses felt their projects had the potential to transform lives either locally, nationally or internationally
  • 100% satisfaction with Interface service