The commercialisation of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities for People and the Economy (SHAPE) cannot be considered peripheral to innovation, it is central to how innovation actually works in advanced and emerging Research and Innovation (R&I) ecosystems. In economies dominated by services, public systems and people‑centred solutions, SHAPE research underpins how value is created, scaled and sustained. In practice, SHAPE innovation already delivers globally relevant impact. Examples range from decision‑support methodologies translated into scalable ventures, to citizen‑led data systems addressing climate resilience, and community‑based ventures redesigning how social value is financed. These demonstrate how SHAPE research translates insight into durable public and economic value. The question for tech transfer professionals and funders should no longer be whether or not SHAPE can be commercialised, but how to make the most of SHAPE commercialisation.
What have we learned?
Through over a decade of UK and international experience, we have learned that building a SHAPE commercialisation ecosystem requires more than isolated funding calls. Progress depends on legitimacy, senior buy‑in, capacity‑building and pathways that are tailored, structurally and culturally , to SHAPE disciplines. Early efforts focused on awareness and training; later stages have shifted towards venture building, team formation and investment readiness. This evolution takes time: in the UK, meaningful SHAPE‑specific programmes and networks, such as ASPECT, took several years and institutional support to emerge.
For institutions, the case for SHAPE commercialisation is not about venture counts or short‑term income. It is about sustaining research impact beyond grant funding, building new partnerships with government, communities, NGOs and business, and diversifying how value is created beyond patents and lab spin‑outs. Done well, SHAPE commercialisation contributes directly to local and regional development through practical, people‑centred innovation.
Yet, even in the UK, maturity across the sector remains low. Evidence shows no clear relationship between the volume of SHAPE research and the size of the SHAPE commercialisation pipeline, pointing to a persistent problem of under‑identification. Inconsistent opportunity spotting, rather than lack of quality research, is the primary bottleneck.
Okay, so what can we do?
If institutions want greater impact and stronger commercialisation outputs from SHAPE research, the first step is not copying STEM technology‑transfer models and recognising “value creation” is what makes SHAPE commercialisation unique. In SHAPE, value is often created through services, processes, methods, experiences and ventures rather than patentable IP. Many SHAPE innovations engage directly with public goods, pursue social as well as financial outcomes, and reach market more quickly with fewer resources. As a result, IP protection is rarely the primary driver of value, and linear, patent‑led commercialisation models often fail to capture SHAPE potential.
Investing in the creation of a SHAPE entrepreneurial culture, and identifying champions who can raise awareness among researchers about the value and potential of commercialisation, is critical. Unlike STEM researchers, SHAPE innovators often lack access to role models or examples of successful commercialisation. Demystifying commercialisation can therefore increase the likelihood of researchers engaging with it.
Would like to know more?
The tools below have been created or co-created by the Oxentia team to support SHAPE TTOs, researchers and ecosystem builders.
Sharing support for SHAPE commercialisation: This report is useful if you’d like to understand how to share resources in your ecosystem and build impact at scale
SHAPE RL framework: This framework is useful if you’d like to rigorously and consistently triage and accelerate your SHAPE venture creation pipeline
Guidelines for SHAPE researchers: This guide is aimed specifically at SHAPE researchers who are interested in commercialisation
If you’d like to learn more about our SHAPE commercialisation and support service click here
