Interfolio + Research Fish:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Researchfish
Based in Cambridge, UK and founded in 2012, Research Fish is a technology company that helps research funders and universities track and measure research impact (publications, citations, patents, media mentions, jobs created, policies influenced, products launched, communities impacted, etc.). Research Fish makes it easy for people to gather, present, explain, and evaluate the academic, societal, and economic impact of research funded around the world.
By using Research Fish:
- Higher education institutions see how the work of their academics influence the world
- Research funders make well-informed decisions that in turn make their investments even more effective
- Researchers, faculty, and scholars spend less time on burdensome reporting requirements and more time discovering, sharing, and advancing knowledge.
Why are you doing this now?
Our belief is that being able to track and better understand research, and the impact that arises from it, is vitally important for higher education—and Research Fish is the leading provider of effective impact tracking software.
About a year ago, our CEO, Andrew Rosen, met with Sean Newell, Research Fish’s CEO, to learn more about the research impact space and discuss a potential partnership between Research Fish and Interfolio’s researcher profile functionality.
Through continued discussions it became clear that there was more potential to the work we might do together: there was also a set of shared values, culture, and vision which led us to explore how we might partner more closely in the future.
Does the research impact model apply to the US?
We believe tracking and understanding research impact is vitally important for universities in the US, which are increasingly called upon to prove their value to state and federal funders, private donors, and other stakeholders. Tracking research not only allows universities to communicate the benefits of research to stakeholders, it also helps universities more fully support research through effective strategy and policy making, which is possible with a more thorough understanding of the progress of the research being funded and the pathways that lead to impact.
Will you be integrating this product into the Faculty Information System?
There are several exciting pathways for future development between Research Fish and Interfolio that will eventually deliver enhanced solutions for funders, researchers, and higher education institutions.
That said, we do not have any immediate product integration plans after the acquisition. The Research Fish product and engineering team have a defined roadmap that they will own independently of the Interfolio team.
Will Researchfish remain a separate company?
Although ownership of the company will transfer to Interfolio, Research Fish will continue to operate as its own entity in the UK—with the same leadership and employees. They will also continue to provide the same, if not better service to its clients, while also planning for future interoperability with Interfolio’s suite of academic and scholarly technology systems. We expect no noticeable changes in service delivery to current Research Fish clients.
Similarly, Interfolio is committed to making the change as smooth as possible for all parties—including its own clients, who should also see no change in product and service delivery.
Who can I contact with questions?
If you have any questions please email rfquestions@interfolio.com and we will do our best to answer as soon as possible.