A look at the UK's university commercialisation ecosystem in the first of a regular regional analysis series by our sister title Global University Venturing.

The UK has a long and rich history of innovation. Once a driving force of the British empire, research and development (R&D) in the UK now focuses on turning that technical knowledge into high-tech exports to bolster the economy. Much of this is driven by one of the country’s main economic pillars – education.

Three UK institutions are in this year’s Times Higher Education World University Rankings: Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College London. Along with University College London, ranked 17, these universities form the heart of the country’s technology transfer efforts, often referred to as…