Deadline: 25 September 2024
UK registered academic institutions, RTOs or Catapults can apply for a share of up to £9 million to fund innovation projects with businesses or not for profits.
Innovate UK has allocated up to £9 million in this round of the KTP programme, which will contribute towards the total costs of the individual projects. The number of public sector management KTPs is limited to a maximum of 10 applications per competition round.
Successful applications are partially funded on the following basis:
- large companies and eligible public sector organisations may receive a grant contribution of up to 50% of eligible project costs, with the business paying the balance
- micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) may receive a grant contribution up to 67% of eligible project costs, with the business paying the balance
- not for profit organisations, charities or charitable business may receive a grant contribution of up to 75% of eligible project costs, with the charity or charitable business paying the balance
- as virtual businesses have no geographical location they may only receive a grant contribution of 50% or 67% depending upon the size of the business and must support additional costs.
Funding Information
- Typically, a project’s total costs are £8,500 per month. Projects must be between 12 and 36 months.
Eligible Projects
- 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
Ineligible Projects
- 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
- The knowledge base partner must lead the project and must:
- 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
- To collaborate with a knowledge base, the business partner must:
- Subcontractors
- Subcontractors are not allowed in this competition.
For more information, visit Innovate UK.