This is not a call for specific research projects but for collaborative partnerships between businesses and research institutions.

Businesses and research institutions are encouraged to work together to develop proposals that address specific innovation challenges faced by the business. The proposal should outline how the partnership will leverage academic expertise to develop a new product, service, or process.

Innovate UK aims to support KTPs that will lead to significant advancements in business innovation and economic growth.

• The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) program allows a UK-registered business or not-for-profit organisation, (which we 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 organization (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 strategic development within the business, developing new skills and gaining valuable experience.

• Guidance on how to apply for a KTP is available.

• Each application must be led by a knowledge base, working with a business partner, and supported by a knowledge transfer adviser.

• If you are a business and do not yet have a relationship with a knowledge base partner, the knowledge transfer adviser can help you to identify one.

In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition has a funding limit, so we may not be able to fund all the proposed projects. It may be the case that your project scores highly but we are still unable to fund it.

This competition closes at 11 am UK time on the deadline stated in this Innovate UK competition brief. We cannot guarantee other government or third-party sites will always show the correct competition information.

• It takes time to prepare an application. If yours will not be ready before the close date, please apply to a later round.

• Visit the KTP website to find out more about the program and the current associate roles available for graduates.