Services · Contract Research & Consulting
Contract Research & Consulting
From a single expert call to a multi-year sponsored program, we structure engagements around what the problem actually requires — not around a fixed service catalogue.
About the service
Veyra's consulting arm operates through Dr. Anselm Faraday-Cole, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Services, and a team of engagement managers who work directly with the Institute's research groups to structure external projects. We do not operate a traditional consulting practice with junior analysts and boilerplate deliverables. Every engagement draws directly on active researchers.
The range of engagement formats is wide: a half-day workshop with one expert costs less than 2,000 cr; a three-year sponsored research programme with three dedicated staff and IP rights negotiated at the outset runs into millions. What they share is a clear scope document, defined milestones, and a named scientific lead.
We have active consulting relationships with companies in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, energy systems, and climate technology. We also work with government agencies and standards bodies that require independent scientific opinion.
Engagement types
Expert consultation
A single structured session — or a series of sessions — with one or more Veyra researchers, scoped around a defined technical question. Suitable for companies evaluating a technology direction, seeking a second opinion on experimental data, or needing a rapid literature summary on a narrow topic.
- Duration
- 1 hr to 5 days
- Team
- 1–3 researchers
- Deliverable
- Session notes, technical memo (optional)
- Billing
- Fixed fee agreed in advance
- IP
- Client owns all new insights; no background IP transferred
Sponsored research project
A defined research programme where Veyra researchers investigate a question of the client's choosing, using the Institute's facilities and resources. The client funds the work and, depending on the IP terms negotiated, may acquire exclusive or non-exclusive rights to results. Publication rights and IP ownership are set out in a sponsored research agreement before work begins.
- Duration
- 6 months to 3+ years
- Team
- 2–8 researchers, facility access
- Deliverable
- Technical reports, data, IP (negotiated)
- Billing
- Milestone-based or quarterly
- IP
- Negotiated; exclusive license or assignment available
Researcher secondment
A Veyra researcher is placed with the client organisation for a fixed period — typically three to twelve months — to work within the client's team on the client's problems, while remaining employed by the Institute. Secondments are particularly valued by clients building or scaling an in-house technical capability who want embedded expertise rather than arms-length advice.
- Duration
- 3–12 months
- Location
- Client site (travel costs included)
- Deliverable
- Ongoing contributions to client projects
- Billing
- Monthly flat rate (agreed)
- IP
- Work-product assigned to client; background IP reserved
Example engagement models
The following are fabricated illustrative examples of how clients have structured consulting engagements with Veyra.
Advanced manufacturing
Surface characterization for a coating process
A manufacturer of industrial coatings commissioned a six-month analytical study combining XPS, SEM-EDS, and nanoindentation to identify the root cause of adhesion variability between batches. The project involved two MME researchers and used the Spectroscopy Core. Deliverable: a technical report identifying three contributing factors and recommending process control adjustments.
Format: sponsored project · Duration: 6 months · Team: 2 researchers + facility staff
Pharmaceuticals
Expert opinion on protein structure methodology
A biopharmaceutical company developing a biologic therapy engaged a single Veyra cryo-EM specialist for three structured sessions to review the company's in-house cryo-EM data collection and processing protocol. The specialist identified parameter choices causing preferred-particle orientation artifacts. No new experimental work was done; the deliverable was a two-page methodology note.
Format: expert consultation · Duration: 3 × 2-hour sessions · Team: 1 specialist
Energy technology
Secondment for battery materials development
An energy storage startup embedded a Veyra MME postdoctoral researcher at their site for nine months to lead cathode material synthesis and characterization for their next-generation cell chemistry. The researcher worked directly with the client's engineering team and provided monthly technical reports to both the client and Veyra. All work-product was assigned to the client under the secondment agreement.
Format: secondment · Duration: 9 months · Location: client site
Government agency
Technical advisory panel on atmospheric monitoring
A regulatory agency retained Prof. Aiko Romero of the Atmospheric Dynamics Group on a 12-month advisory retainer to review technical submissions from industry regarding particulate emissions monitoring methods. The retainer covered up to 20 days of advisory time, including attendance at two in-person review panels and written technical opinions on six submitted methodologies.
Format: advisory retainer · Duration: 12 months · Key expert: Prof. Aiko Romero
How to start
Most consulting engagements are set up within one to two weeks of initial contact.
- 1
Get in touch
Email consulting@veyra.example with a brief description of your technical question or project idea. If you are uncertain whether Veyra can help, describe the problem and we will tell you honestly whether it falls within our scope. We respond within two business days.
- 2
Scoping conversation
An engagement manager, usually accompanied by the candidate scientific lead, meets with you (in person or by video call) to understand the project in depth. This call is free of charge and confidential. We will indicate at the end of the call whether we can proceed and what engagement format we recommend.
- 3
Proposal and agreement
We prepare a written proposal covering scope, team, timeline, milestones, pricing, and IP terms. For expert consultations, this is typically a one-page letter of engagement. For sponsored research, we use a full sponsored research agreement that defines IP ownership, publication rights, and dispute resolution. Typical agreement execution time is five to ten working days.
- 4
Work begins
Once the agreement is signed and (for longer projects) the first milestone payment is received, work begins within five working days. An engagement manager serves as your primary contact throughout the project. You will receive progress reports at agreed intervals and can request additional calls at any time within the scope of the agreement.
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Collaboration agreement template
Standard Veyra MoU template for academic and industry collaborations.
Download DOCX →