Up to £40M funding to Innovate with a business-academic partnership

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership could help your business to innovate alongside a university or research organisation and a highly qualified graduate.

Businesses can apply for a share of up to £40 million to take part in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).

The programme aims to promote competitiveness and productivity in a business by bringing in new knowledge and skills.

The government has just announced in its 2018 Budget that it will invest up to £25 million to expand the KTP scheme. This will create places for more than 200 additional graduates and academics with relevant skills in highly innovative firms over the coming years.

Creating viable products and services

KTPs are designed to help businesses to turn academic insight into viable products and services, leading to growth and future development.

They can either build on an existing relationship with an academic partner, or be a completely new collaboration with a university, college or research and technology organisation. A Knowledge Transfer Adviser can help to set this up.

Search for and contact a Knowledge Transfer Adviser.

KTP applications must:

• focus on a specific project
• set out the nature and goals of the project
• give details of who will take part
• establish what the graduate will be expected to deliver

KTPs are building better lives for older people

The ExtraCare Charitable Trust manages retirement communities for older people. It has a wellbeing programme that supports residents to make informed decisions about their own health and lifestyle.

Through a KTP carried out with Aston University the trust is developing a new resilience tool to improve wellbeing and independence even further.

When it is rolled out later this month, the web-based app will make it easier for ExtraCare’s advisors to assess the health of each resident, monitor their progress and prevent any potential incidents like slips or falls.

The new app will also allow them to tailor recommendations to individuals for activities that would benefit their physical and mental health.

Programme information

• applications for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are open throughout the year
• the deadline for applications for this round is 12 December 2018. If an application misses a deadline it will automatically be entered into the next round
• projects can last between 1 and 3 years
• businesses and not-for-profit organisation of any size can apply
• the size of the grant and own contribution will vary. Typically:
  • small and medium-sized enterprises contribute around £35,000 per year, or about one-third of the project costs
  • large businesses contribute about £55,000 per year, or half of the project costs

Find out more about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and how to apply.