Completing Our Two-Year Knowledge Transfer Partnership with London Metropolitan University

As we mark the completion of our two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership with London Metropolitan University today, we're taking time to reflect on what has been a rewarding journey of academic-industry collaboration.

This partnership has been instrumental in supporting our business development whilst contributing to valuable research outcomes that benefit the broader procurement sector.

Supporting Academic Research Through Industry Partnership

One of the most valuable aspects of this collaboration has been our ability to contribute to academic research whilst advancing our own business objectives. Working with Professor Nigel Caldwell and Barry Dwyer from London Met's Guildhall School of Business and Law, alongside KTP Associate Olha Tereshchenko, we've provided real-world data and industry insights that have supported research into business model transformation and digital innovation.

Our Open Opportunities platform has served as a practical case study for examining how traditional service businesses can evolve to meet changing market demands. This has generated valuable research outputs and case study materials that will continue to benefit academic teaching and research.

The partnership has produced significant research outcomes, including a working paper titled "Transitioning from Service to Product: A Case Study of AI-Enabled Business Model Innovation." This research was presented by Olha Tereshchenko at the International Purchasing & Supply Education & Research Association Conference in Rotterdam in April, and later at London Met's own Student and Staff Research Conference in July 2025.

The Value of Academic-Industry Collaboration

This partnership exemplifies how industry and academia can collaborate effectively to mutual benefit. We've gained valuable fresh perspectives on our business development, whilst contributing practical insights and real-world data to academic research.

As we conclude this formal partnership, we look forward to continuing our support for academic research and exploring future opportunities for collaboration that can benefit both the research community and the procurement sector more broadly.

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Open Opportunities (Spend Network) and London Metropolitan University was supported by Innovate UK and ran from 4th August 2023 to 4th August 2025.