Work with us

CAPE always welcomes the participation of new industry partners who look to leverage our expertise and at the same time provide a synergistic fit with our existing partners. Established for over 15 years, CAPE has a record of successful technology development within a robust model for university-industry collaboration. Contact us to explore ways to work with us.

Advantages of working with CAPE

Technology from science

Work with world leading scientists and engineers to develop innovative science into practical solutions that can be applied by your company
Jointly commission research for the benefit of the CAPE Partner companies with direct control through representation on the CAPE Steering Committee
Projects are supported by access to the cutting-edge R&D facilities within the Electrical Engineering division

Established governance structure

Management of CAPE is by the Steering Committee with equal voting rights for the CAPE Partners and the University
The CAPE Partnership Agreement (CPA) provides fair IP terms agreed between the university and CAPE partner
Our pre-determined terms and conditions allow for fast project approval
The CAPE Office provides dedicated support to partner projects and interests

Gateway to Cambridge

CAPE is a gateway to all areas of the University of Cambridge, including researchers in the Department of Engineering, Cavendish Laboratory, The Computer Lab, Chemistry Department, Materials Science and others
Research themes covered by CAPE researchers include AI, Batteries, Big Data, Energy, Healthcare, Graphene, Sensors, etc.
CAPE’s track record has established its reputation among academics and the wider University, facilitating good collaborations with Partner Companies

Partnerships

The CAPE Partners have non-competitive market positions by design, so there are potential business opportunities between partners with a mutual interest in exploiting a technology.

Other Benefits

Exchange scientists and engineers between industrial and academic partners, through our embedded researcher scheme
Expand CAPE projects by leveraging the industrial funds invested through CAPE via external sponsors such as the UK government
Membership of CAPE provides networking benefits from existing links between Cambridge University and other academic centres, in both the UK and elsewhere.

Views from our Partners

Views from CAPE Partners on their relationship with CAPE

Removing weight from the car is one of the key requirements of future cars, as this leads to better range and reduction in carbon emissions. While industry is looking into materials and mechanical reductions, project LESA looks into how to reduce the weight of electronics and the electrical architecture of the car. As the area of research is large, hence Cambridge CAPE and Jaguar Land Rover research came together to focus on this challenge head on. We looked into key parts and components that make up the electrical architecture of the car, like networks,computers, sensors and cables. Now we are working towards some key areas where we can significantly reduce the weight of underlying electronics. This is an ongoing research where two institutions are working collaboratively.

Ashutosh Tomar
Technical Manager at Jaguar Land Rover

In order to preserve Disney’s long history of fostering innovation, and continue this legacy, Disney Research, the company’s technological research arm, joined CAPE to guide and develop fundamental future display technologies. In addition to driving the increase in quality and capabilities of ubiquitous commercial displays through content and standards, Disney Research leveraged the CAPE collaboration to incorporate these new mechanics into unique displays to enrich the experiences Disney creates.

Dr Quinn Smithwick
Senior Research Scientist at Disney Research

Dr Smithwick has been collaborating with CAPE for several years. Disney Research’s partnership in the CAPE program ended in April 2019, but the final project continued until August 2020

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) joined CAPE in 2011. CAPE has given JLR the opportunity to work with some of the world’s leading scientists on innovative technologies for the automotive industry. The access CAPE gives to all areas of the University of Cambridge means that we can take advantage of a multidisciplinary research team. We have successfully worked with many academics across the university: Professor. Daping Chu (Engineering), John Clarkson (Engineering), Patrick Langdon (Engineering), Peter Robinson (Computer Science), and Simon Godsill (Engineering).

Each has contributed significantly, from patents to prototype technologies; all generated through projects in which we worked closely with the academics to deliver technical solutions that can be used in an automotive context.

The best examples of this include the MATSA (Motion Adaptive Touchscreen for Automotive) project and the iHUD project, which through a thorough programme of research have produced high-quality technology demonstrators that JLR have used to define future technology strategy and deployment. Both have been rigorously integrated and tested in-vehicle to ensure that the theoretical principles they are trying to achieve can be realised within the automotive environment.

JLR has been involved in a number of different types of projects that either focus on a single key technological area as well as those that look at a variety of technical solutions and ways to apply existing methods differently. There are theoretical projects that focus on understanding human behaviour in the context of the automobile. PhD studies are also investigating a key research topic in detail as well as generating new concepts and building prototype systems.

CAPE differs greatly from other academic collaborators in terms of expertise and IP rights. It relies on partners being non-competitive which generates interesting projects discussions and raises the potential for collaborations between partners who have mutual interest

in a specific technology but for very different reasons. The CAPE terms are favourable for a company like JLR. For any company that wishes to work with the University of Cambridge, JLR believes the partnership with CAPE is an excellent way of leveraging the world-class research staff and facilities at the University of Cambridge.

JLR will continue to work on strategically relevant projects with CAPE, in accordance with our technical synergies, international legal requirements and business priorities, where we need some of the best minds in the business that help us solve problems related to the delivery of premium vehicles globally.

Dr Lee Skrypchuk
Human Machine Interface Technical Specialist at Jaguar Land Rover

Views from the University

Support for the CAPE model of academic-industry collaboration from senior members of the University of Cambridge

The mission of Cambridge University is to contribute to society. To make this contribution – especially at scale - the University needs to collaborate with world-class organisations. Organisations that want to take ideas and insights being developed in the University and use them to improve the products and services they offer. CAPE is a great model to enable such collaboration. Bringing together world leading firms with researchers in the University, CAPE supports collaboration and research that makes a real difference. Professor Andy Neeley Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Enterprise and Business Relations, University of Cambridge	CAPE has had an immense and lasting impact on my research, stimulating new ideas, making possible innovative research, and providing the lasting support and industrial expertise to allow ideas to be turned into real engineering solutions that have impact. In my view, CAPE has been an outstanding success and I pay great tribute to its leaders and industrial partners for their excellence. Professor Ian White Formerly Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge and currently Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath
The strength of Cambridge University Engineering Department is built on a combination of pure research excellence and external relationships that enable us to focus our work and apply it effectively. CAPE has pioneered the development of industry- university research collaborations and has inspired many other consortia in Cambridge and beyond. It remains an exemplar as it continues to nurture young innovators, drive fundamental research and deliver commercial impact. Professor Richard Prager Head of Cambridge University Engineering Department	CAPE has been at the heart of the Electrical Engineering Division in Cambridge for over a decade. Its unique structure allows industry partners not only to tackle major research challenges with academics in the University but with each other as well. This collaborative environment has delivered real economic benefits to the industrial partners, enabled outstanding research in the University and helped to inspire new generations of professional engineers. I have no doubt that the collaborative CAPE ethos will continue to flourish in the years ahead. Professor Andrew Flewitt Head of Electrical Engineering Division, Cambridge University Engineering Departmen
The CAPE initiative has been a pioneer in fostering the University–industry relationship in a successful way. CAPE has been an example for other academics in the University to liaise with industrial partners and form a long-term relation. Lisa Wears Assistant Director of Technology, Research Operations Office, University of Cambridge	CAPE is an excellent model for collaboration between the University and industrial partners, Cambridge Enterprise values in particular the long term partnerships which allow exploration of routes to market for leading edge, early stage technology originating in the University. Dr Malcolm Grimshaw Head of Physical Sciences, Cambridge Enterprise