R2I Lab Impact Accelerator
Maximise the impact of your knowledge exchange programme
Now accepting applications for the November 2026 cohort
Universities and research institutes produce research with huge potential for economic and societal impact. Are you developing or running a programme to support knowledge exchange and research commercialisation? Before you scale it, learn how to maximise its impact through experimentation.
We work with you to embed experimentation in your organisation and build your team’s capability to evaluate in a more agile, systematic and evidence-informed way. Through structured, hands-on support, we help you develop a theory of change and success metrics for your programme, then choose the right way to test it. You’ll learn how to evaluate using experimental logic, how to apply experimental methods and, where numbers are too small for a randomised experiment, which other methods you can use to build evidence on your programme.
This edition of the Impact Accelerator is part of IGL’s Research to Impact (R2I) Lab, a global alliance of policymakers, innovation leaders and researchers. The Lab uses experimentation, data and evidence to change how research turns into impact.
Programmes you could bring
You can work on any programme that supports knowledge exchange or research commercialisation. For example:
Entrepreneurial training for researchers, such as a course building the skills to take research to market.
New models of licensing or collaboration with industry, such as simplified licence terms or new ways of partnering with businesses.
A new toolkit to simplify spinout terms or build investment readiness, helping researchers and their institutions agree fair deals and prepare to raise funding.
A funding programme with wraparound support, such as proof-of-concept funding combined with mentoring or expert advice.
Testing how AI tools can augment human expertise in knowledge exchange.
Something entirely new: an innovative idea that needs the right approach to test whether it works.
Launching a newly funded programme? If your organisation or partnership has funding, or is applying for funding, to pilot new collaborations or models, such as a shared technology transfer office (TTO), the Accelerator can help you build evaluation in from the start. We’ll support your team to think through how to evaluate your programme, including its theory of change, success metrics and ways to test what works, so you can learn as you go, show funders the difference your programme makes and build the case for continued support.
What you’ll get
Expert workshops. Six fortnightly sessions covering programme design, theory of change, outcome measures, experimental and evaluation design, implementation, and analysis.
One-to-one support. Five tailored office hours with IGL experts to apply each stage of the Accelerator to your own programme.
A global cohort. Learn alongside peers from around the world, share progress and exchange best practices that last beyond the programme.
Alongside the sessions, you’ll be able to connect with experimental researchers in the IGL Research Network, which has more than 300 members. You can also draw on IGL’s Experimental Ideas Handbook, with over 100 experimental ideas for improving university–industry collaboration.
“The single most important lesson I am taking back to my team is the importance of piloting new initiatives, and the value of examining a problem and the needs of target groups from multiple perspectives, with a constructive, critical guide throughout the process. This helps challenge our thinking, identify blind spots, reduce risks and improve programme design and decision-making.”
– Innovation Fund, Republic of Serbia, past Impact Accelerator participant
Who is it for?
The Accelerator is for teams that design or deliver programmes supporting knowledge exchange and research commercialisation. This includes:
- technology transfer offices
- university knowledge exchange and business engagement teams
- innovation and funding agencies
- accelerators and venture builders
- others working at the intersection of research and impact
Key details and how to apply
Join the November 2026 cohort. Rolling applications until Friday 30 October 2026.
- Dates: 11 November 2026 to 10 February 2027, with a winter break
- Format: online, with six workshops and five one-to-one office hours
- Time: workshops run 14:00–16:00 UK time / 15:00–17:00 CET
- Team size: works best with two to three people from each organisation or partnership
- Who can apply: organisations anywhere in the world; places are limited and selection is competitive
- Cost: £4,500 per team, excluding VAT, with discounts for eligible members (see brochure)
Frequently asked questions
Do we need experience of running experiments?
No. The Accelerator is designed to help you embed experimentation in your organisation, whatever your starting point. We’ll take you through each step, from defining your programme’s objectives to designing an experiment and analysing the results.
What stage does our programme need to be at?
Your programme can be at any stage, from an early idea you are still developing to an existing programme you want to evaluate or improve.
Can we apply as a partnership?
Yes. A group of universities or organisations planning a new programme together can apply as one team.
How much time will it take?
The Accelerator is designed to fit around your schedule while allowing you to make progress on your programme and lasts about three months from start to finish. It consists of six fortnightly online workshops, alternating with five one-to-one office hours where IGL experts help you apply what you’ve learned to your own programme.
We’re bidding for, or have just received, funding for a new programme. Is the Accelerator a good fit?
Yes. The Accelerator can help you build evaluation in from the start, so you can learn as you go and show funders the difference your programme makes.
How much does it cost?
Please see the programme brochure for full details on cost, including discounts for members of IGL and our strategic partners.
I can’t join the November cohort but I’m interested. What should I do?
Please email the R2I Lab manager, Apoorva Srikkanth, at [email protected] and we’ll keep you informed about future dates.