All you need to start your innovation journey – insights from our round table with the University of Salford

25 Feb, 2026

At our round table hosted by and in partnership with the University of Salford, business leaders from across Greater Manchester gathered to discuss how companies—large and small—can drive innovation by partnering with universities and embracing a culture of change, even in turbulent times.

Professor Mandy Parkinson, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor for Knowledge Exchange at the University of Salford, set the tone: "What you think you need at the start of an innovation journey is rarely what you end up needing. The process is about being willing to change direction, to adapt, and to bring the psychology of your people into the heart of innovation."

Professor Parkinson emphasised that Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) are not just about embedding a single expert in a business, but about giving companies access to the full breadth of university expertise and a peer group of innovators.

The University of Salford was one of the very first pioneers of KTPs over 50 years ago, taking part in the initial pilot of the scheme – with this year marking its 50th anniversary. Since then, the University of Salford has delivered over 150 KTPs. Based on Innovate UK's ROI estimates, this equates to £160m in economic return.

The discussion quickly turned to the practicalities of KTPs. Glen Mullins, Managing Director of Vue, shared, "We did a KTP two or three years ago around AI and video analytics. While the original product didn't go to market, it kickstarted a whole new area of growth for us. The key is to keep an open mind—sometimes the real innovation is in the pivot." Peter McCulloch, Technical Director at Think Hire, agreed: "Having a small working group of ambassadors within the business was crucial. Once people saw the benefits, the rest of the business came on board, and it revolutionised how we operate."

For larger organisations, the challenge is often about harnessing the collective brainpower of thousands. Gill Smith, Head of Education for AtkinsRéalis explained, "Innovation happens every day at every desk. We have global think tanks where anyone can submit an idea, but the real value comes from cross-collaboration—learning from different sectors and geographies, and being prepared to fail fast and smart."

The conversation also delved into the human side of innovation. Deborah Cleary, co-founder of NoCodeLab.ai, delivered a stark warning about the creative industries: "The sector is in a state of panic about AI. Agency owners are on the cliff edge, worried their clients will bring everything in-house. The challenge is to shift from fear to the joy of being in—capturing IP, upskilling teams, and collaborating with clients to build new tools and services. The next six months are critical."

Sunny Prakash, MD of WERIT UK, a German business with a UK base, echoed the need for cultural change: "We're in survival mode. For years, we thought technology wasn't for us, but now I realise if we don't invest in digital transformation, we won't have a business in the near future. The fear factor is real, but the opportunity is greater."

Bassel Ounah, CEO of Neptune Submerge, said: "From my experience, the hardest time and the most challenging time for a business that is involved in innovation, is the start."

Dan Walker, co-founder of AI for Business, highlighted the importance of board-level buy-in and frontline engagement: "Innovation can stall if you don't have buy-in from top to bottom. The companies that succeed are those that get their staff experimenting and seeing the value for themselves."

Ian Eastwood, CTO of Eluceda, which researches solutions to counterfeiting, pointed to the practicalities of funding innovation: "We invest heavily in R&D, and without the R&D tax credit, our company would go under. But the process is complicated—navigating it requires the right expertise and support."

Professor Will Swan, Director of Energy House Labs, underscored the university's role as a convenor: "We bring together big developers, start-ups, and government to test and prove new products. Sometimes, the most valuable thing we offer is independent validation—if it works, we'll say so; if not, we'll say that too."

As technology changes what we do, and where the only constant seems to be change, the message from Salford was clear: partnership, adaptability, and a willingness to experiment are the keys to thriving—whatever the future holds.

The University of Salford's current portfolio of KTPs includes a broad range of collaborations underway across the University, with academics working with businesses to solve challenges ranging from new product or service development, particularly in relation to the growth in AI, to embedding best management practice and new manufacturing processes.

See source.