RED

• Research development
• Research policy
• Research governance
• Contracts
• Project management
• Business acceleration
• How we work with business
  • EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account
  • Impact funding
  • Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)
  • Innovation Vouchers
  • Research consultancy
  • Placements and schemes
  • Academic Business Fellows
  • Licensing opportunities
  • Business acceleration
  • International businesses
• Commercialising research
• Student enterprise

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)

KTPs are strategic collaborations between a business or organisation and a university. They match the needs of the business with academic knowledge and expertise, and employ a graduate/postgraduate researcher (“KTP Associate”) to manage the project on a day-to-day basis.

Example areas include: R&D, product design, manufacturing, technical innovation or business processes, but other projects are possible if they are central to improving the company’s profitability and/or performance.

Case study: Helitune Ltd

Winner of TSB’s Best Knowledge Transfer Partnership Award 2012

Aims

To develop the ‘next generation’ analytical techniques for helicopter rotor track and balancing in order to minimise vibration, enabling operators to improve safety and reliability while reducing operating costs.

Key achievements

• won a major production contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and an upgrade contract with the South Africa Air Force, as well as annual maintenance contracts with MoD and the German armed forces.

• Established new technical links with AgustaWestland

• Recruited 12 new employees, including 10 engineering staff

“The whole management team feel the value of KTP. The culture of the business has changed and it has given us confidence to invest in more R&D, which can only be a good thing.” Peter Morrish, Technology Manager, Helitune Ltd

Read the full Helitune case study (PDF, 1014 Kb)

Read the full Helitune news item.

KTPs explained

• Access highly qualified graduates and academic experts
• Find an innovative solution to help your business grrow
• Improve your performance and profitability
• Increase your competitive advantage

• Projects can last between 6 and 36 months.
• Associates are employed by the university, yet based at company premises with a company supervisor.
• Academic supervisors spend on average ½ day per week to support the Associates.                     

• KTPs are part-funded by Government grants, which contribute 67% of total cost towards programmes with SMEs and 50% towards those with large companies. The remaining costs are covered by the company partner.
• The KTP budget includes Associate employment costs, academic support, Associate development, travel and equipment. The exact annual budget depends on each individual project and the level of academic support required.
• Typically, an SME will contribute £21,000 - £23,000 per year; a large company £32,000 - £35,000.
• Many companies can claim R&D tax relief for their KTP costs.

• The KTP Office at the university will handle the joint grant application to the Technology Strategy Board's Central KTP Office. 
• A regional KTP Adviser will meet with company and academic partners early on to confirm the project’s viability. 
• Submission deadlines are every 2 months.

 If you have an idea for a project that would benefit from a KTP, please contact Frances Frith or 
Andrew Wray in RED's Alliance Development group.

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