Industrial CASE Account - Imperial College London 2020

This grant does not fund a specific research project. Instead, it supports a training programme that places PhD students directly into industrial settings. The problem it addresses is a persistent gap between academic research and commercial application. Many promising discoveries never leave the lab because researchers lack experience in industry, and companies struggle to recruit scientists who understand both worlds. This programme bridges that gap by funding doctoral students who split their time between a university and a company partner, working on problems the company actually needs solved. If successful, the programme produces a cohort of scientists who can move fluidly between academia and industry. These graduates will be equipped to translate fundamental research into practical products, processes, or services—whether in pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, energy systems, or software. For the companies involved, it provides a low-risk way to explore new ideas and build long-term research relationships with universities. This is a skills and training grant, not a discovery project. Its impact is measured not in new knowledge but in the people it produces: researchers who can turn ideas into things that work.