Knowledge transfer partnership (KTP): 2024 to 2025 Round 4
Up to £9m to fund innovation projects, with businesses or not-for-profits working alongside academic institutions, RTOs or Catapults.
Opportunity Details
When
Registration Opens
30/09/2024
Registration Closes
04/12/2024
Award
Typically, a project’s total costs are £8,500 per month. Projects must be between 12 and 36 months. A proportion of the knowledge base partners’ costs (up to 67% for most SMEs) will be funded by Innovate UK. The remainder of the project costs are paid by the business partner.
Organisation
Innovate UK
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme allows a UK registered business or not for profit organisation, (referred to as the ‘business partner’ from now on) to partner with a ‘knowledge base partner’, which is either a UK higher education (HE) or further education (FE) institution, research and technology organisation (RTO) or Catapult.
The KTP partnership brings new skills and the latest academic thinking into the business partner to deliver a specific, strategic innovation project. The knowledge base partner recruits the ‘associate’ to work on the project. The associate has the opportunity to lead a strategic development within the business, developing new skills and gaining valuable experience.
Guidance on how to apply for a KTP is available.
Each application must be led by a knowledge base, working with a business partner and supported by a knowledge transfer adviser (KTA). If you are a business and do not yet have a relationship with a knowledge base partner, the knowledge transfer adviser can help you to identify one; contact your local KTA via the KTP website.
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Each Knowledge Transfer partnership (KTP) is a partnership between the following:
- a UK knowledge base, acting as lead organisation and submitting the application
- a UK registered business, not for profit organisation or eligible public sector organisation, with two or more full time equivalent employees
We use the term ‘business partner’ for businesses, public sector organisations, not for profit organisations, charities or charitable businesses. Public sector organisations can only apply for a Management KTP.
Business partners cannot work alone. They must develop the project with a UK knowledge base who can provide the right skills to meet the knowledge gap within the business. We encourage business partners to approach Innovate UK Business Connect or knowledge bases to discuss the suitability of KTP for their specific circumstances and find an application partner.
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Your application must be for a specific, strategic innovation project that tackles one or more challenges faced by the business partner.
It can be any kind of project and must show:
- why the business needs this Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)
- what new knowledge is required by the business
- what new capabilities will be embedded as a result of the KTP
Typically, a project’s total costs are £8,500 per month. Projects must be between 12 and 36 months. A proportion of the knowledge base partners’ costs will be funded by Innovate UK. The remainder of the project costs are paid by the business partner.
KTPs are typically advertised on a full-time basis. Associates may apply to work on a flexible basis for the duration of the project via the employer’s flexible working policy.
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Workshops
If your application is successful, the business and academic supervisors are expected to attend the Supervisors Workshop.
These half day workshops are run by Innovate UK Business Connect and delivered online.
Workshops generally take place within one month of the knowledge base receiving notification that the project will receive funding. Successful applicants will be notified of the dates.
Additional support from the Welsh Government
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) are a core component of Wales’ RD&I offer to businesses. This offer allows eligible micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) businesses to claim 75% of the project costs of a KTP.
To be eligible for this additional support the delivery of the project must be within Wales and the business must meet the definition of an SME. Virtual projects where the business is registered at an address in Wales are also eligible.