Funding Competition: Knowledge Transfer Partnerships 2023 to 2024 (Round 6) – UK

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme allows a UK registered business or not for profit organisation, 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.

Project Size

• Typically, a project’s total costs are £8,500 per month. Projects must be between 12 and 36 months.

Projects they will not fund

They will not fund:

• projects that are not strategic for the business partner
• projects that do not demonstrate a genuine market opportunity or viable route to market
• research projects
• projects where the business partner is an ineligible public sector organisation
• projects which are classed as State aid under EC regulations or a subsidy under the EU-UK TCA
• undertakings which gain a selective economic or commercial advantage from the funding

Who can apply?

• 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 organization
• The definition KTP uses for not for profit organisations, charities or charitable business include:
  • a registered charity
  • a registered Community Interest Company
  • a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation
  • a charitable company
  • an exempt or excepted charity
• Public sector organisations can only apply for a Management KTP. The definition KTP uses for eligible public sector organisations is:
  • non-departmental public bodies and arm’s length bodies (ALBs)
  • the NHS
  • local authorities, bodies owned and controlled by local authorities
  • government owned companies, nationalised industries, most trading funds and regulators
• The following public sector organisations are specifically excluded:
  • UKRI organisations and businesses owned or operated either wholly or partially by UKRI or one of its councils
  • Advanced research and invention agency (ARIA)
  • central government departments and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
  • any organisation eligible to become a KTP knowledge base
• Knowledge base partner
  • The knowledge base partner must lead the project and must:
  • be a UK registered higher education (HE) or further education (FE) institution, research technology organisation (RTO) or Catapult
  • be registered as a knowledge base with the KTP programme
  • invite one UK registered business, not for profit organisation or eligible public sector organisation into the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) application
  • invite one knowledge transfer adviser to support the application
  • not have ownership of 50% or more of the business partner or a controlling interest via a shareholder agreement
  • recruit associate roles in a demonstrably open and fair manner
  • allow associates to participate in the typical working patterns of the business for the majority of the project, unless working virtually, this should take place at the business partner’s premises
  • agree to provide at least half a day per week of academic support for the associate
• Business partner
  • To collaborate with a knowledge base, the business partner must:
    • be a UK registered business, not for profit organisation or eligible public sector organisation
    • have two or more full time equivalent employees
    • determine the size of their business or group
    • declare the total number of employees within the business and if part of a group of businesses, within the group
    • complete the application form in partnership with the knowledge base partner
    • provide evidence of their ability to financially support their contribution
    • host the associate and provide them with day to day supervisory support
• The registered name and registration number provided must match the official public register.
• UK subsidiary businesses of overseas parent companies are eligible, provided they are individually registered in the UK.
• Subcontractors are not allowed in this competition.

For more information, visit Innovate UK.