How UCL has been transforming lives through knowledge exchange in 2024

As a university, UCL supports its staff and students to transform their knowledge and ideas into solutions that benefit us all. This includes everything from working with businesses, government, not-for-profits and community groups, to setting up impactful spinouts and startup ventures.

We’ve been recognised for our work in this area through the annual Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF). You can read more about this in our KEF news story.

As for what’s been going on over the last 12 months, we’ve pulled together a snapshot of some of the top highlights.

Celebrating success

The quality of our knowledge exchange activity at UCL was underlined in other ways, too.

• A new report, released to mark the 30th anniversary of UCL Business (UCLB), UCL’s technology transfer company, laid out the economic and societal impact of UCL’s spinouts.
• Nineteen UCL alumni and students earned a place in Forbes’ annual Top 30 Under 30 list of leading entrepreneurs and creatives in Europe.
• Ofsted rated UCL as an outstanding lead provider of the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for teachers and school leaders. 
• In his first official visit as Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Alan Mak MP toured the UCL East campus to see first-hand the remarkable research being undertaken. 

Making an impact with our partners

By partnering with local authorities, health services, charities and voluntary groups, UCL researchers are working on projects that are improving the daily lives of millions of people.

• In July, UCL joined Space South Central, the largest space cluster of its kind, to accelerate collaborative space research and innovation.
• UCL held its first Advanced Therapies Symposium, attracting over 250 attendees from UCL and beyond to discuss research in advanced therapies.
• UCL joined Builds Bio+ London Chapter to partner with institutions and industry leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to work on life science projects. 
• Ten startups from UCL and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) took part in a new UK-Swiss entrepreneurship exchange programme to learn, connect and explore new opportunities.
• UCL researchers started developing a new digital archive, compiling the oral histories of Windrush Generation cricket players from the Caribbean.

Our inspiring student startup community

Many of our student startups are making significant headway on tackling pressing problems in their chosen fields, and are being recognised with awards and exciting growth opportunities.

• In May, tech startup CarbonTrac, founded by a UCL student, won the tech award in the London mayor’s Entrepreneur Competition.
• Phyta Biodesign won a Bronze Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 for Apia, its garden wall system which creates pollinator infrastructure for endangered solitary bees.
• Five early-growth stage businesses from UCL pitched their startups to over 150 investors at this year’s London Demo Day.
• KALAB, a UCL-supported AI business, was one of just 12 startups to be chosen from thousands to join Techstars’ highly regarded accelerator programme.

Improving health and wellbeing

Improving health is a big area of focus for research and education here at UCL, and it’s the impetus for many of our knowledge exchange projects too.

• In May, a UCL team of researchers announced new details of the UK’s first menopause education and support network at the House of Commons.
• UCL spinout Autolus Therapeutics received Food and Drug Administration approval for a next-generation CAR T-cell therapy, developed to treat adults with an aggressive form of blood cancer.
• UCL researchers are using avatar therapy to help people with psychosis who hear distressing voices.
• UCL spinout Trace Neuroscience launched with $101 million funding to help develop potential treatments for motor neurone disease.

Leading the way in AI and tech

As the world looks to better understand and embrace the enormous potential of AI, UCL researchers are busy working on projects to support the transition.

• UCL spinout Stanhope AI attracted £2.3 million to develop a new generation of AI technology known as ‘agentic’ AI.
• As AI’s use grows, UCL spinout Oriole Networks is building a technology that could make data centres dramatically more energy efficient.
• We welcomed the Shadow Science Minister, Chi Onwurah MP, to UCL’s Faculty of Engineering to meet with AI experts from research and industry.
• One of UCL’s flagship incubator workspace and innovation centres, IDEALondon, embarked on a new phase of support for deep tech and digital startups in collaboration with WilbeLAB.

Find out more

Learn about:

• more knowledge exchange news stories 
• support for external organisations to engage with UCL  
• knowledge exchange and innovation support for UCL staff
• entrepreneurship support for staff and recent graduates  
• how UCL is planning to deliver knowledge exchange and innovation over the next five years