You already know these numbers. The data just makes them visible.
of commercially viable ideas generated in UK universities each month do not reach a commercial outcome
PIPE IP Commercialisation Index (2026)
of UK TTOs are below break-even on IP yield ratio: their TTO costs more to run than it generates in IP income
PIPE Index, IP yield ratio below 1x, 140 UK institutions
of commercially patentable inventions are ever disclosed to a TTO across the sector, according to peer-reviewed research
Goel & Göktepe-Hultén, 2018; Huyghe et al., 2016
The key finding from the PIPE Index: the primary constraint on UK commercialisation performance is not TTO throughput. It is what happens upstream. Commercially viable research is not reaching the pipeline because it is never disclosed, because it is routed through contract research channels where IP is assigned away, or because the disclosure process carries a perceived cost the researcher is not willing to pay. Investing further in TTO throughput addresses the wrong problem.
Four things that are consistently hard to build in-house.
TTO teams are expert at assessment, protection, and negotiation. What they find harder to build, without dedicated resource, is the upstream infrastructure. PIPE is designed to provide exactly that.
Pipeline visibility
A reliable, anonymised picture of what is being generated upstream of formal disclosure: the volume, type, and routing behaviour of commercially relevant research findings before anything reaches the TTO. This is the evidence base most institutions currently do not have.
External benchmark data
A peer-group-normalised picture of where the institution sits on each commercialisation dimension, so that investment in improvement can be directed at the dimensions with the highest expected return, not the most visible ones.
A low-friction pre-disclosure channel
A way for researchers to register an early-stage idea before it is ready for formal IP assessment, so the TTO can begin to build a relationship and track the opportunity without creating a bureaucratic burden on the researcher.
Post-investment support capacity
A structured way to support funded projects through the early operational stages: advisory networks, governance structures, and connections to investor communities, without placing that operational burden on TTO resource.
What PIPE provides alongside the TTO at every stage of the lifecycle.
PIPE does not ask for a share of the TTO's existing pipeline. It works to increase the size of that pipeline and to ensure that more of what enters it reaches a successful outcome.
Three measurable outcomes for your TTO.
More of the pipeline, less of the noise
By mapping and addressing upstream friction, PIPE helps the TTO see more of what is actually being generated. The QED process provides a structured triage layer that means the opportunities that reach the investment stage are better validated and more fundable. TTO staff spend less time on opportunities unlikely to progress and more time on those that are.
An independent evidence base for internal conversations
The PIPE Index and diagnostic outputs give the TTO Director and DVC-Research a shared, externally grounded evidence base. The conversation shifts from "our TTO is under-resourced" to "our friction rate is 94% and three specific structural changes would move us from the 45th to the 65th percentile within 18 months". The first is a cost conversation. The second is a return-on-investment conversation.
Post-investment capacity at no cost to the TTO
One of the most consistent gaps in current provision is what happens after a spinout is funded. PIPE's board seat, PAN advisory network, and General Fund governance structure provide the operational scaffolding that early-stage ventures need, without placing that burden on TTO resource. The TTO retains its equity position and IP licensing relationship.
PIPE does not ask for a share of the TTO's existing pipeline. It works to increase the size of that pipeline and to ensure that more of what enters it reaches a successful outcome. The TTO's return in equity, licensing income, and REF impact case material grows as a direct consequence.
The starting point is always the Index Briefing. No cost. No commitment.
A 90-minute session in which we walk the TTO Director and DVC-Research through the institution's specific PIPE Index profile. We show where the institution sits on each of the six dimensions, who its nearest peer-group comparators are, and where the data suggests the highest-leverage improvements would be. We do not editorialise and we do not pitch during this session.
From the Index Briefing, the institution decides whether to proceed to the full IP Pipeline Diagnostic. The Napkin Ideas pathway can be activated at any point, independently of the diagnostic, with no integration work and no cost to the institution.
Index Briefing (no charge, 90 minutes)
We review your PIPE Index profile together. Six dimensions against your peer group. We describe what the data shows and let you draw your own conclusions.
IP Pipeline Diagnostic (HEIF-eligible, 3 to 4 weeks)
We investigate the upstream friction points specific to your institution. Pipeline survey, structural audit, benchmark analysis, and a facilitated action planning session.
Napkin Ideas activation (at any point, no charge)
A low-friction pre-disclosure channel for researchers. Requires no integration work from the TTO. Creates a channel for ideas to surface before they are ready for formal IP assessment.
QED and investment pathway (project by project)
As individual opportunities mature through the commercialisation path, PIPE's QED process, General Fund, and PIPExchange listing route are available on a project-by-project basis with no upfront commitment.
Start with your Index profile.
The Index Briefing is free, takes 90 minutes, and starts with your institution's specific data. There is no obligation to proceed further.