A £400,000 project led by the Centre for Business and Industry Transformation (CBIT) at Nottingham Business School aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industry by training technology transfer professionals and STEM researchers in entrepreneurship – with a focus on AI to empower businesses.
At the heart of the initiative is a “Train the Trainer” model developed by CBIT, which will prepare 40 staff from partner institutions to mentor researchers in commercialisation and innovation practice.
Unlike traditional technology transfer offices, this approach is designed to build enduring local capacity for venture creation – equipping mentors to guide researchers beyond patents and licensing into real-world venture building. By embedding entrepreneurial expertise within institutions, the program fosters self-sustaining ecosystems of innovation.
These trained mentors will play a pivotal role in delivering the STEAM Founder Program, which will support 120 researchers from the UK and Thailand in aligning their work with the needs of industry and society.
The program equips STEAM researchers (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) with the practical tools to work across disciplines, engage with external stakeholders, and develop solutions with global relevance.
With funding from the British Council’s prestigious International Science Partnerships Fund and Thai Science Research and Innovation, it will be delivered as part of an established partnership with Chiang Mai University’s Science and Technology Park (STeP).
The program will focus on personal AI and health technology to address Thailand’s pressing socio-economic challenges and align with its national strategies. The country faces significant gaps in healthcare access, especially in rural areas, and is prioritising innovation-driven economic growth, particularly in the health and wellness sectors.
The project also opens up access to new expertise, partnerships and global markets for UK researchers.
In addition to fostering interdisciplinary thinking, the program develops the commercial capabilities needed for international venture building. Participants will gain practical skills in opportunity assessment, sustainable business modelling, and market validation—preparing them to take research-driven products to market.
With Thailand acting as a launchpad into Asian markets, and the UK serving as a gateway to Europe, the program positions researchers to grow globally connected ventures from day one.
Researchers will test early-stage products with a range of selective ventures from CBIT Venture Builder in the UK and Chiangmai Science Park in Thailand, gaining experience in applying their ideas in real-world, international contexts.
The program will evolve into a formal course and will be supported by a new International Network of Entrepreneurial Interdisciplinary Champions (INEIC), which will build lasting partnerships and promote knowledge-sharing between the UK and Thailand. The network will connect researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovation professionals to collaborate on real-world challenges.
CBIT has a proven track record in developing scalable, market-ready solutions and a growing global reputation as a convener of interdisciplinary and cross-border partnerships. Professor Xiao Ma, project lead and director of CBIT, said: “UK researchers often work within single disciplines and focus on academic goals, which can create a disconnect between their work and real-world industry needs.
“This narrow approach limits the practical impact of their research and contributes to lower industry research income compared to countries like the US. The program addresses this by promoting interdisciplinary collaboration to better align research with real-world applications.”
Dr Phavika Mongkolkittaveepol, general manager of STeP, which boasts a network of more than 2,700 researchers and will provide incubation platforms to support the commercial adoption of innovation, said: “The Train the Trainer model is critical for building national capacity that drives transformational economic growth. By equipping institutions with the ability to nurture entrepreneurial talent, the programme lays the groundwork for a more dynamic, innovation-led economy.
“Coupled with an emphasis on international venture building, it enables researchers to scale their ideas beyond local contexts and position Thailand and the UK as regional launchpads for global innovation.”
