{"id":362,"date":"2025-11-04T08:24:52","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T08:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/theknowledge\/?p=362"},"modified":"2025-11-04T08:24:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T08:24:54","slug":"how-edge-hills-knowledge-transfer-partnership-ktp-sparked-an-ai-innovation-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/theknowledge\/2025\/11\/04\/how-edge-hills-knowledge-transfer-partnership-ktp-sparked-an-ai-innovation-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"How Edge Hill\u2019s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) sparked an AI innovation journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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At Edge Hill University<\/a>, collaboration drives innovation. When the Department of Computer Science <\/a>partnered with Synergy Technology through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)<\/a>, the goal was bold: to help a long-established software company transform into a global, AI-powered technology business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That collaboration didn\u2019t just modernise Synergy\u2019s products; it led to the creation of a new company, Synaptic Synergy Ltd, and propelled its KTP Associate, Sameer Mushtaq, into a leadership role shaping the next generation of intelligent business software.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A partnership with purpose<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 1997, Synergy Technology Ltd.<\/a> has long supported UK businesses with tailored CRM, ERP, and accounting solutions. As the digital landscape evolved, Synergy recognised the need to re-engineer its systems into a scalable, cloud-based SaaS platform underpinned by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To achieve this, Synergy joined forces with Edge Hill University<\/a> through the KTP programme, a national initiative connecting academic research with commercial innovation. Edge Hill brought deep expertise in AI and data science; Synergy offered a live business environment and commercial insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appointed as the KTP Associate, Sameer Mushtaq served as the bridge between research and implementation, embedding AI into Synergy\u2019s products and creating a roadmap for long-term transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning research into real-world impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sameer came to the project with a background in software development and entrepreneurship. After co-founding a successful startup in India, he moved to the UK to complete a Master\u2019s in Computer Science at the University of Huddersfield, where he became fascinated by the practical power of AI research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Edge Hill, that curiosity found a real-world outlet. Working closely with his academic supervisors and Synergy\u2019s leadership, Sameer helped redesign the company\u2019s software architecture to support automation, scalability, and AI integration. The result was a foundation for a next-generation SaaS platform capable of serving global users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the partnership, Edge Hill\u2019s research expertise ensured the project maintained academic rigour while delivering commercially viable solutions, a balance at the core of every successful KTP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overcoming technical challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No innovation journey is without hurdles. One of the project\u2019s biggest challenges came from the vast datasets required to train AI-based recommender systems. The data volumes far exceeded Synergy\u2019s existing computational capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edge Hill stepped in with a solution, providing access to its high-performance computing (HPC) facilities. These advanced GPU clusters gave the team the processing power needed to train and test their models efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The collaboration not only solved a technical bottleneck but also generated new research outcomes. The findings became the basis for an academic paper, with further publications planned, evidence of how practical innovation can inspire new knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWorking with Edge Hill University through this KTP has been transformative both for our business and for me personally. Collaborating with academic experts has given us fresh insights, innovative tools, and a new level of confidence in applying research-led thinking to real-world challenges.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The collaboration pushed us to adopt a more data-driven, analytical approach, which has boosted our efficiency and confidence in decision-making.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professionally, it\u2019s expanded my perspective as a leader, personally, it\u2019s been inspiring to see how research and real-world application can come together to deliver tangible results.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tony Poole, Director of Synergy Technology Ltd. and Synaptic Synergy Ltd. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

From partnership to new enterprise<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the KTP progressed, it became clear that the innovation achieved had commercial potential beyond the project itself. To carry this forward, Synergy Technology established Synaptic Synergy Ltd<\/a>, a new venture dedicated to developing and scaling the AI-enabled platform internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given his deep involvement in the project, Sameer was appointed Director of Innovation and Engineering at the new company, continuing to collaborate with Edge Hill as a part-time PhD researcher. His dual role ensures that the exchange of ideas between academia and industry remains active and productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lasting impact and a global future<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Sameer, the KTP proved transformational. It enabled him to evolve from software developer to innovation leader, combining technical expertise with strategic vision. For Synergy and Edge Hill, it demonstrated how academic research can directly fuel commercial success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Synaptic Synergy Ltd is building on the strong foundations established during the KTP, refining its AI features and preparing for expansion into markets including Australia, India, and the USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Edge Hill University, the partnership stands as a powerful example of how knowledge transfer can create lasting value for people, for business, and for the wider economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When academic insight meets enterprise vision, innovation doesn\u2019t just happen in theory. It takes shape, scales globally, and continues to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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