Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): 2025–2026 Round 4 (United Kingdom)

The focus of this opportunity is to support innovative businesses with the ambition to scale and grow in the UK. Each project must contribute towards the UK’s Industrial Strategy and drive growth within the IS8’s sectors.

Through the KTP programme, a UK registered business partners with a UK higher education (HE) or further education (FE) institution, RTO, or Catapult. The collaboration allows businesses to access new skills and academic knowledge to address a strategic innovation challenge. The knowledge base partner recruits an associate who works within the business to lead the project, gaining professional experience while contributing to business transformation. Applications must be led by the knowledge base, developed jointly with the business partner, and supported by a Knowledge Transfer Adviser.

Projects are expected to demonstrate a clear strategic need, showing what new knowledge is required and how new capabilities will be embedded as a result of the KTP. Eligible projects typically have total eligible costs of around £8,500 per month and last between 12 and 36 months. Innovate UK will fund part of the project costs, with large companies eligible for up to 50% and SMEs for up to 67% of eligible costs, while the business partner covers the remainder. The competition operates on a ‘no subsidy’ basis, meaning outputs must be made publicly available without selective advantage unless commercialised independently.

The knowledge base partner must be a registered UK institution and provide academic support throughout the project. The business partner must be a UK registered company with at least two full-time equivalent employees, demonstrate financial capacity to support its contribution, and host the associate on-site. Both partners must reach a written intellectual property agreement before the project begins and deliver a joint commitment statement. Each KTP must also produce publications or case studies to share outcomes publicly.

Innovate UK has allocated up to £10 million for this competition round, with contributions potentially coming from several financial supporters such as UKRI KTP, Invest Northern Ireland, the Scottish Funding Council, the Welsh Government, and Defra. Subcontractors are not permitted, and applications involving public sector bodies, research-only projects, or projects without a genuine market opportunity will not be funded.

Applications must be developed in collaboration with an appointed Knowledge Transfer Adviser and submitted before the competition’s closing date at 11am UK time. Only projects that receive the adviser’s endorsement will be considered for assessment.

For more information, visit GOV.UK.