Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Programme – United Kingdom

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme allows a UK registered business or not for profit organisation, (which they will refer to collectively 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.

Funding Information

• Innovate UK has allocated up to £9 million in this round of the KTP programme, which will contribute towards the total eligible costs of the individual projects. The number of public sector management KTPs is limited to a maximum of 10 applications per competition round.
• A project’s total eligible 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 rest of the eligible project costs are paid by the business partner.

Project Requirement

• 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 organisation
• They use the term ‘business partner’ for businesses, public sector organisations, not for profit organisations, charities or charitable businesses.
• 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
  • a registered charitable industrial and provident society or charitable Cooperative
• A ‘charitable business’ refers to an organisation which is both a registered company (normally a private company limited by guarantee) and a registered charity (all charities with an income over £5,000 per annum being required to register with the Charity Commission).
• 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 cannot work alone.
  • 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
    • complete the application form in partnership with the business
    • make sure the application is completed and submitted with the agreement of a knowledge transfer adviser before the competition closes
    • submit a current full economic costing (fEC) letter with each application if you are using the full fEC costing model and support the project in accordance with its provision
    • provide the project secretariat
    • reach an intellectual property (IP) agreement with the business partner before the project commences
    • agree to attend specified meetings at a location identified by the business partner
    • ensure that none of the proposed academic team are directors, consultants or otherwise engaged by the business or group
• Business partner
  • 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. They encourage business partners to approach Innovate UK Business Connect or knowledge bases to discuss the suitability of KTP for their specific circumstances.
  • 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
    • host monthly supervisor, Local management Committee (LMC) and other mandatory meetings at their own expense
    • provide evidence that demonstrates their ability to financially support the exploitation of the project
    • reach a written IP agreement with the knowledge base before the project commences
• Sanctions
  • This competition will not fund you, or provide any financial benefit to any individual or entities directly or indirectly involved with you, which would expose Innovate UK or any direct or indirect beneficiary of funding from Innovate UK to UK Sanctions.

For more information, visit Gov.UK.