After 24 months of collaboration, our KTP with Spend Network concludes with remarkable achievements that exceeded initial expectations.
4 August 2025
As we reach the completion of our two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Spend Network, we are reflecting on what has been an extraordinary journey of academic-industry collaboration.
Today, as we officially conclude the project on 4 August 2025, we can confidently say this partnership has exceeded every expectation and delivered outcomes that benefit not just our industry partner, but our university, our students, and the broader procurement sector.
When we first embarked on this journey, our objectives were centred around helping Spend Network expand its traditional data services and enhance its market position. What actually transpired was far more ambitious: we facilitated the complete transformation of their business model from a linear service provider to a scalable product-focused technology company.
From service to product: A complete business model evolution
Perhaps the most significant achievement of our collaboration has been enabling Spend Network's transition from traditional data services to its innovative Open Opportunities platform. This was not simply about adding a new product line; it represented a fundamental shift in how the company operates and generates value.
Under the guidance of Professor Nigel Caldwell and Barry Dwyer from the Guildhall School of Business and Law, and with Olha Tereshchenko as a KTP Associate, we helped transform a company that was dependent on linear growth tied to headcount into one capable of exponential, scalable growth.
The Open Opportunities platform, launched during our partnership, now provides comprehensive procurement intelligence across more than 130 countries. By democratising access to this data through flexible subscription pricing, we helped create a solution that serves everyone from small businesses to large enterprises, researchers to export agencies.
Looking forward: sustainable impact
As we conclude this formal partnership, the impact continues to resonate. Spend Network is now positioned for substantial growth, with projections suggesting significant expansion in both domestic and international markets over the next three years. The scalable business model we helped develop provides a foundation for sustainable growth that extends well beyond our formal collaboration period.
For London Metropolitan University, this partnership demonstrated our capability to deliver transformational change in partnership with industry. The research outputs, case study materials, and practical frameworks developed through this collaboration will continue to benefit our teaching and research activities for years to come.
A model for future collaborations
What makes this partnership particularly significant is how it demonstrates the potential of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships to create value that neither universities nor businesses could achieve independently. Our academic expertise in business model analysis, digital transformation theory, and evidence-based marketing provided the analytical framework for change. Spend Network's industry expertise, market knowledge, and willingness to embrace transformation provided the practical context for implementation.
As we celebrate the conclusion of this partnership, we are already looking forward to future collaborations that can achieve similar transformational impact. The success of our work with Spend Network demonstrates London Metropolitan University's commitment to research and partnership work that makes a genuine difference in the real world.
Photo: The Spend Network KTP team (From left: Nigel Caldwell, Mark Lynch, Barry Dwyer, Aleksandra Chodacka, Ian Magkill and Olha Tereshchenko)
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership between London Metropolitan University and Spend Network was supported by Innovate UK and ran from 4 August 2023 to 4 August 2025.