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The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme is designed to help UK businesses innovate and grow by collaborating with leading academic institutions, research organisations or Catapults.
Through this partnership, businesses gain access to cutting-edge academic knowledge and recruit a dedicated associate who leads the delivery of a strategic innovation project. The associate works within the business, supported by academic experts, ensuring that new knowledge is embedded directly into operations.
KTP projects typically run between 12 and 36 months and focus on delivering long-term capability, productivity improvements and commercial growth.
Scope of the Competition
Projects must focus on delivering a strategic innovation that addresses a clear business challenge and creates measurable impact.
Your project must:
Projects are expected to go beyond incremental improvements and deliver transformational change within the business.
Key Focus Areas
Projects should align with one of the priority Industrial Strategy sectors, including:
Projects outside these areas may still be considered if they demonstrate strong innovation and high growth potential.
Eligibility and Project Requirements
KTP projects are collaborative and must involve both a business and a knowledge base partner.
Key requirements include:
Key Dates and Funding
Project funding: Up to 67% of project costs for SMEs (with typical costs around £8,500 per month)
Opens: 20 April 2026
Closes: 24 June 2026 (11:00 am)
How Inventya can help
KTP applications require a strong balance between academic collaboration, business need and commercial impact.
Inventya can support your organisation by:
With extensive experience in Innovate UK programmes, Inventya can help you structure a high-quality KTP application and maximise your chances of success.
