Accelerated Knowledge Transfer 4 (AKT4) Addiction

Inspired by the successful Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) model, the AKT programme creates short-term collaborations between a Business Partner and a UK Knowledge Base (UK Higher Education (HE), Further Education (FE) institution, Research Organisation (RTO) or Catapult) to accelerate the progress of innovation projects.

Innovate UK Accelerated Knowledge Transfer forms a partnership between a business and a specialist academic team to deliver a short, targeted intervention. Over a two-to-four-month period, the teams work together to accelerate the progress of an innovation project.

In the 2022/23 pilot competition, a total of 129 projects were funded, representing all kinds of businesses and third-sector organisations across the UK.

All applicants should read and understand the following:

• Innovate UK General Guidance
• AKT4 Cost Guidance document.
• AKT web page
• AKT4 FAQs
• AKT4 Scope
• All competition details
• Terms and Conditions

Each Accelerated Knowledge Transfer (AKT) project is a partnership between a:

• UK knowledge base, acting as lead organisation and submitting the application (must be a UK registered higher education (HE) or further education (FE) institution, research technology organisation (RTO) or Catapult)
• UK registered business or not for profit or eligible public sector organisation

We use the term ‘business partner’ for businesses, not for profit organisations, social enterprises, public sector organisations, charities or charitable businesses.

For a full list of which organisations are eligible for each category, visit the IFS page at the link below.

Each knowledge base can collaborate with any number of business partners. Each business partner, including separate businesses within a business group, can only take part in up to four concurrent AKT funded projects.

Projects must be focused on improving treatment, recovery, and harm reduction or prevention for people with drug and or alcohol addiction.

Projects must run for 13 weeks. The maximum grant will be £35,000 per project. The Business Partner must contribute 10% (minimum) of the total project costs in cash. There is no upper limit to the cash contribution of the business.

Projects must be focused on improving treatment, recovery, and harm reduction or prevention for people with drug and or alcohol addiction.

Projects must target unmet needs, including those highlighted in:

• the UK’s Drug Strategy, from Harm to Hope (2021)
• Dame Carol Black’s Review of Drugs
• wider UK drug and alcohol strategies
• specific local priorities and needs

Where possible:

• be designed in consultation with people with lived experience of addictions
• account for complex needs (e.g. mental health, housing, criminal justice)
• demonstrate alignment to delivery of relevant UK Government missions

Substances in scope of this competition include those treated in typical services incuding:

• alcohol
• opioids (illicit and prescription)
• stimulants (e.g. cocaine/crack, amphetamine, and ‘meth’)
• cannabis
• GHB
• ketamine
• benzodiazepines
• gabapentinoids

Areas out of scope of this competition are:

• tobacco or nicotine addiction
• gambling and behavioural addictions
• prevention of initiation of use of addictive substances
• early intervention in substance use behaviour, prior to addiction being established as a treatment need

Within the context of the AKT, projects may explore any areas which relate to improving treatment, recovery, or prevention of harm from drug and/or alcohol addiction(s) in any relevant setting UK-wide.

Projects may explore any areas which relate to improving treatment, recovery, or prevention of harm from drug and/or alcohol addiction(s) in any relevant setting UK-wide.

Applicable topics for projects include but are not limited to:

• Scoping, designing or deployment of new or improved treatment options (e.g. pharmaceuticals, MedTech, or digital technologies), recovery options, or innovative harm (including overdose) prevention approaches.
• Piloting approaches to improve access to treatment services for researchers, including NHS or third sector led and those in criminal justice system settings.
• Devising methods for improving data collection, processing or availability for research across relevant settings and UK nations.
• Developing and testing optimal methods to best engage people with lived and living experience across the UK in product, treatment, or treatment pathway design and research.
• Exploring approaches to enhancing the awareness and openness of people with lived and living experience to the use of new technologies, treatments, and approaches for the treatment of, recovery from, or reduction and prevention of harms caused by drug and/or alcohol addiction(s).
• Investigating key barriers to the roll out of new treatments and technologies by service providers across settings and regions and devising potential solutions to these barriers.
• Exploring optimal approaches to ensure well connected pathways across treatment, recovery and community support services.
• Mapping current pathways and systems of joint working between substance use treatment and recovery, mental health treatment and physical health treatment providers, and devising opportunities to enhance these to improve joined up care.
• Exploring approaches for improved pathways and ways of joint working between substance use treatment providers with social (including housing, education, family services) and criminal justice system settings to ensure continuity and quality of care.

Out of scope:

• Projects focused primarily on addictions to tobacco/nicotine or behavioural addictions such as gambling.
• Projects focused on intervening in earlier use (before addiction or dependence is established).
• Projects focused on primary prevention of initiation of substance use.

Watch a pre-recorded briefing about AKT4 from Innovate UK.

If you are a business and do not yet have a relationship with a knowledge base partner, contact your local knowledge base to discuss this opportunity in more detail.