Guidance

Knowledge Asset Commercialisation Guide

Guidance to support Public Sector Bodies commercialising their Knowledge Assets via routes such as direct sales, licensing, joint ventures, and spinouts.

Documents

The Knowledge Asset Commercialisation Guide

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alt.formats@dsit.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The Knowledge Asset Commercialisation Guide provides information about different Knowledge Assets commercialisation routes available. These include direct sales, licensing, joint ventures, and spinouts.

This guidance is to assist public sector organisations that are considering commercialising their Knowledge Assets to fulfil their duty to identify, protect, and maximise the value of their Knowledge Assets, as set out in Managing Public Money (MPM).

This guide is suitable for those responsible for managing Knowledge Assets, such as Senior Responsible Owners and KA managers. It also contains information for additional staff involved in the management of Knowledge Assets, such as finance, governance, and sponsorship teams.

This guide covers:

  • The reasons to commercialise Knowledge Assets
  • The commercialisation routes available to Public Sector Bodies
  • Key considerations when conducting market research
  • Commercial and public sector-specific aspects of managing Intellectual Property
  • Approaches to Licensing and associated considerations
  • Obtaining the approvals in the public sector to undertaken commercialisation

If you have queries about this guidance, please email the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) at GOTT@dsit.gov.uk.

Updates to this page

Published 9 May 2025

Sign up for emails or print this page