SHAPE Innovation
Social Impact and Enterprise in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
How can research in the arts, humanities and social sciences make an impact outside of academia?
In this practical workshop, we will explore how innovative, co-creative and entrepreneurial approaches can enable the transformation of research outputs into real-world products and services.
From social enterprises delivering peacekeeping initiatives, to educational technologies improving best practice in UK schools, to videogames and creative assets enabling deeper engagement with cultural history, SHAPE researchers are increasingly taking entrepreneurial routes to connect with real-world beneficiaries of their research. Using case studies from academics in SHAPE disciplines, we will explore how new interventions, toolkits, technologies, training and educational materials and consultancies are created, delivered and scaled up outside of the university.
What we’ll cover:
- What is social innovation and social enterprise?
- Creating an innovative value proposition from your research
- The journey of a university idea to reality
- Understanding intellectual property in the arts, humanities and social science
- Research funding landscape and support for SHAPE entrepreneurship
Workshop details:
- Date: Wednesday, 18 March, 2026
- Time: 9:30 – 12:30
- Location: The Glasshouse, 100 Hills Rd, Cambridge, CB2 1LQ
