Our teams have been delivering tailor-made support to Imperial academics and client organisations, large and small, for 30 years. 

Whether you’ve been approached to do some work outside of academic research and you aren’t sure what to do next, or you’ve consulted for a client before but their next job is more complicated, our dedicated team are here to support you – from the first discussions up to the final payments, and on into any potential future collaborations. We make the process as smooth and efficient as possible, so you can concentrate on the project.  

“Twenty years ago, BASF asked if I could give a lecture. This led to some consultancy and then an ongoing collaboration. Since then they have funded two PhD students and a postdoc whose project contributed to our winning a European Research Council Advanced Investigator Grant worth €1.5m. With consultancy you experience new things – and who knows where that could lead." Professor Tom Welton Faculty of Natural Sciences

We help Imperial’s academics deliver projects for more than 1,000 clients a year – and because academia and business tend to speak different languages, we help to translate.  

We assist with setting up the project, managing the relationship with the client, and dealing with the administrative and legal side – including contract and fee negotiations, due diligence on the client, insurance, billing and credit control.  For bigger projects – like large scale testing and membership programmes – our technical services team (Imperial Projects) provide additional project management and financial reporting support. 

Most importantly, our support throughout the process helps to maintain the excellent reputation of Imperial and our academics.  

While Imperial’s academics aren’t required to work through Imperial Consultants, those who do recognise the time and cost savings that our quick and efficient service provides. We are also the College’s preferred route for those looking to consult. Our involvement is required for anyone wanting to use Imperial’s facilities during their project – or if they want to mention their affiliation to Imperial on any output (which is something clients do generally want).