Knowledge Transfer Partnerships - Business

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships enable companies to access specialist resources and expertise they need to solve an innovative strategic problem. The transformational impact of the KTP will enable the business to become more competitive and positively impact their bottom line.

Partnership benefits

The latest national statistics from Innovate UK show over the past five years each partnership has benefitted from an average:

£600k per annum increase in pre-tax profit for the three years following the successful completion of the project
£650k per annum increase in exports for the three years following completion of the project
Creation of two new jobs
Trained 20 staff
Around 64% of KTP Associates are offered a permanent job within the KTP Company upon project completion.

Two students standing talking and smiling

Is my business eligible?

Companies from a range of sectors are eligible to apply for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership.

To be eligible, companies should:

Have the infrastructure to support the KTP Associate and the project
Have at least five employees
Have been running for at least two years
Demonstrate its ability to financially support its contribution to the project

Note: Public sector organisations are NOT eligible, but their supply chain partners may well be.

How much will a KTP cost?

A KTP is part-funded by a UK Government Grant through Innovate UK (between 50 and 67%). Project costs are dependant on the estimated project budget and project duration.

Breakdown of the average KTP project costs

Associate salary
Professional development budget of £2,000 per annum
Travel and consumables budget of £3,750 per annum, (additional funding can be applied for)
Academic direct supervision of the Associate for half a day per week
Access to facilities at the University of Sunderland
Administrative support from the University of Sunderland KTP team
Project support provided by a Knowledge Transfer Network Advisor

Small and medium-sized Businesses (up to 249 FTE)

The KTP Grant covers 67% of the total project costs, with the company funding the remaining 33%
The cost to a company could be less than the equivalent direct recruitment of a Graduate, with the added benefit of Specialist Academic expertise and support from the University and a KTP Advisor
Average Annual KTP cost for an SME is £28,015, however this is dependant on individual project costs and duration
SME’s are eligible for R&D tax credits through a KTP.

Large Company (over 250 FTE)

The KTP Grant covers 50% of the total project costs, with the company funding the remaining 50%
The cost to a company could be less than the equivalent direct recruitment of a Graduate, with the added benefit of Specialist Academic expertise and support from the University and a KTP Advisor
A larger company should be able to demonstrate the involvement and knowledge transfer to UK SME’s within the company supply chain
Average Annual KTP cost for a large company is £42,448, however this is dependant on the individual project costs and duration