Knowledge Transfer that
kindles light bulb moments!

We organise high-quality technical and fact-finding visits in the fields of health and life sciences, research and innovation systems, social policy, engineering and environmental technology, smart cities, and the digital economy.

Who we are

Identifying innovation
gaps

We assist our clients in identifying innovation gaps and answering the important questions that help them thrive while responding to the challenges of tomorrow.

Engaged with diverse industries

We engage with customers from diverse industries and regions with focus areas such as health and life sciences, research and innovation systems, social policy, engineering and environmental technology, smart cities, and digital economy.

International fact-finding missions

We are a knowledge transfer business specialising in international benchmarking, international fact-finding missions, and facilitating R&D partnerships.

Why we do Discovery Trips

We envision a world where companies, organisations, and governments actively engage with their counterparts internationally to benchmark and learn from each other’s successes and failures.

Experience has taught us the value of international dialogue and exchange and the power it has to broaden and enrich mutual perspectives. We have perfected methods to design bespoke, experience-based Discovery Trips for decision makers, in industry and government, that shed new light on the issues and connect them with untapped possibilities.
How we innovate across borders
Experience has taught us the value of international dialogue and exchange and the power it has to broaden and enrich mutual perspectives. We have perfected methods to design bespoke, experience-based Discovery Trips for decision makers, in industry and government, that shed new light on the issues and connect them with untapped possibilities.
Establishing international dialogue
The name Tekiu is phonetically derived from the concept ‘tequio’, which for the Nahuatl people means coming together to build or repair a common good. We are passionate about bringing industry and government leaders from different countries together to learn and build that common good.
What does Tekiu mean?

What we do

Tekiu provides a range of knowledge transfer and capacity building solutions that help you to benchmark and innovate. We value cross pollination and the power of diversity, sectoral exchange and cultural translation. Grounded in these principles we offer Discovery Trips, Partnering Programmes, as well as Evaluation and Impact Assessment services.

Discovery Trips

Discovery Trips are immersive, high-quality fact-finding delegation visits that help you benchmark your organisation internationally through new insights, inspiring experiences, and valuable networking across sectors and borders.
Our team also helps you to develop a plan to implement your learnings back into your organisation. We design Discovery Trips in the fields of health and life sciences, research and innovation systems, social policy, engineering and environmental and digital technologies.

A group of people from UK biotech companies stands in a line on one side of the room and another group from Swiss biotech companies stands in a line on the other side. A moderator facilitates matchmaking for companies to meet each other.

Partnering Programmes

Partnering Programmes are national and bilateral innovation exchange programmes that support SMEs and other innovative organisations to build collaborative partnerships.
Our clients are large organisations or Government departments wanting to stimulate R&D, development of new products, creation of new distribution and sales channels, etc. The participating SMEs gain a dedicated Tekiu relationship manager who helps them to build and maintain their new partnerships.

See our past Global Innovation Partnering Programme here.

Evaluation and Impact Assessment

Our Evaluation and Impact Assessment services support our client organisations to measure impact, build capacity and exchange knowledge, as well as  align resources with organisational strategy to further product and service innovation.
Tekiu also provides external evaluations for national and multinational programmes, organisational and strategic support, training and capacity building to strengthen and expand organisational capacity.

Read more about our evaluation services here.
A group of delegates standing around a table place their hands on a large sheet of paper which depicts their impact roadmap

How we do it

We envision a world where companies, organisations, and governments actively engage with their counterparts internationally to benchmark and learn from each other’s successes and failures.

A clipboard with checkmarks and a lit up lighbulb

Needs assessment

We help you identify innovation and knowledge gaps through pre-trip workshops and/or working with your staff if desired.

A four-piece jigsaw with top left corner about to be locked into the other three connected pieces

Bespoke design

We tailor your fact finding mission based on key focused questions and solutions you seek.

A location bubble with dotted lines connected to three other location bubbles

Discovery trips

We design your Discovery Trip to offer a range of perspectives on pressing questions and bridge those gaps to discover new approaches and opportunities.

Our work

A group picture of a delegation of decision-makers in front of the Swissmedic building

Bio-Industry decision makers explore the Swiss innovation system

We have guided a delegation visit for a group of UK decision makers from the Life Sciences industry and government for the purpose of exploring the Swiss biotechnology sector and associated policies. You can read about our achievements and services we provided in full detail by downloading the case study.

A delegation group photo posing in front of the European Space Agency Columbus satellite

The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) explores the future of sustainable energy

We guided a delegation of business leaders and government representatives from Sweden to London to meet their counterparts and learn from UK energy systems innovation and policy initiatives. The 3-day ‘Discovery Trip’ featured visits to trade associations, energy regulators, innovative companies and investment banks.

Multi-partner International Projects

A delegation of healthtech and biotech SMEs participating in a pitching sessionA group of people gathered around a stage listening to a person delivering a speech at networking event

UK Business Exchanges for Development in Turkey (T-DEB)

Tekiu designed and delivered a Newton Fund-supported Innovation Partnering Programme between Turkey and the UK aimed at fostering collaborative R&D partnerships that address pressing societal challenges within Health and Life Sciences, Environmental Technologies, and Smart Cities.

Facilitating tailored exchanges, networking and first-hand experiences of the British and Turkish innovation ecosystems, Tekiu delivered this project in partnership with Technology Development Foundation of Turkey in Istanbul, Bilkent Cyberpark and ODTÜ Teknokent in Ankara, and Teknopark Izmir in Izmir.

This project received funding from the Innovate UK’s ODA Newton Fund programme. The Newton Fund aims to promote the economic development and social welfare of the 16 partner countries through building science and innovation partnerships.

A room with participants sitting around round tables taking part in a workshop listen to a person sharing their findingsA group of people sit around a table discussing and laughing. One person stands and points at  the large piece of paper covered with sticky notes that they have been working on

Doing It Together Science (DITOs)

Tekiu is one of 11 partners in a pan-European project about Citizen Science. Running over 3 years (2016-2019) under Horizon 2020 funding and co-ordinated by University College London, DITOs aimed to build the institutional and policy foundations for sustained deep public engagement in science and technology in Europe.

Throughout the project, Tekiu ran Discovery Trips for key decision makers across Europe to learn about Citizen Science and its relevance to current policy and research agendas. By establishing a channel for knowledge transfer between citizen science communities, policy makers and academics, Discovery Trips help to build capacity for the movement and enable future contributions to policy and research.

This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 709443.

Our Partners

International collaboration and building long-lasting relations is at the heart of Tekiu. Our close relationships with a large network of partners around the world are the stepping stone to brokering discussions between organisations taking part in our Discovery Trips.

Logo for the South East Health Technologies Association
Logo for the UK Bioindustry Association
Logo for Cambridge Cleantech

Where we operate

Tekiu’s Discovery Trips have connected innovative countries such as UK, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, and Turkey. With an eye to the global context, we work iteratively with our clients, responding to their needs to deliver a program beyond their borders and expectations.