2. Enterprise at a glance

Enterprise at a glance

Imperial's business network

Members of Imperial Business Partners (IBP) explored technologies of the future at Imperial’s flagship annual technology foresight conference Shifting Realities in June 2018. Powered by IBP and curated by Imperial Tech Foresight, the conference explored how companies can adapt to technology-enabled futures.

IBP offers accelerated access to the best of Imperial’s people, technologies, expertise and facilities. Find out what IBP can do for your business.

Letizia Gionfrida

Fast-tracking business ideas from early-career researchers

Ms Letizia Gionfrida (Bioengineering) is one of the Imperial researchers selected for cohort one of the MedTech SuperConnector. She is developing an intuitive, visual-based digital platform that is powered by neural networks to identify biomarkers in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. This could lead to a supplementary tool for faster screening, as well as remote monitoring of disease progression, and predictive treatment as a result of continuously measuring how the patient responds to drugs.

Enterprise at a glance

Careers service

Connecting growing businesses to student talent

In 2017–18, Imperial’s Careers Service partnered with Santander Universities to provide SMEs with streamlined access to Imperial’s student talent, via paid, project-based internships for undergraduates. “This internship was a valuable experience as it has given me both technical and professional skills and has enabled me to get a clearer picture of how it is to work in the industry,” said one of the student interns.

Discussing scientific solutions with world leaders

Professor Gary Frost, and Drs Marisa Miraldo and Laura Barter, shared their pioneering work on nutrition and food production with global leaders at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos-Klosters in January 2018. Imperial regularly engages with WEF political and business leaders on topics represented by the College’s research networks of excellence.

Discover the full range of Imperial’s Networks of Excellence.

Impact from a long-term partnership

Imperial’s partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on turbocharger design began as a collaboration with Professor of Turbomachinery Ricardo Martinez-Botas in 2005. It has led to substantial improvements in turbine performance as a result of more advanced measurement techniques and simulation tools. “Good quality R&D is the bedrock of our business. In Imperial we have found a longstanding partner who can help us to deliver cutting edge products,” said MHI’s Seiichi Ibaraki.

Enterprise at a glance - Row 3

Imperial Tech Foresight workshop on the future of urbanisation

Tackling future challenges

Leading scholars from the Schmidt Science Fellows Program took part in an Imperial Tech Foresight workshop on the future of urbanisation to explore potential solutions to future global challenges. Imperial Tech Foresight works with businesses and researchers to help them consider alternative futures and apply this thinking to their own work. “This workshop has taught me the practice of thinking about future scenarios,” said workshop participant Fred Richardson.

Imperial College Executive Education

Executive education

Last year, Imperial College Executive Education ran 12 Open Programmes for over 200 business leaders from more than 25 countries. The department also worked with more than 15 blue-chip companies to develop and tailor Custom Programmes for their high performing leaders. One example was an experiential ‘digital hothouse’ where business leaders worked in cross-functional teams with coders and app developers to prototype real digital innovations. Participants received feedback from coaches throughout the process, giving them the opportunity to reflect, adapt their behaviour and apply new learning.