Overview

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) empowers businesses to access cutting-edge research, technology, and expertise from academic institutions, facilitating innovation and enhancing their competitive advantage. By collaborating with Lancaster University, you can address specific challenges and implement practical solutions, leading to process improvements, technical advancement and optimised operations. This access to academic knowledge accelerates product and service development enabling businesses to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market.

A KTP project may involve:

• Refining existing products or designing new products.
• Opening new markets for new or existing products.
• Improving business, marketing or manufacturing systems.
• Reducing costs and waste to run the business more efficiently.

Private sector businesses and many public and third sector organisations are eligible to take part in a KTP.

What support will you receive?

Lancaster University has a dedicated KTP service, which offers comprehensive support to businesses across the UK. We guide businesses and academic teams through the eligibility and funding application phase, identifying the right academic team, project planning process, Associate recruitment, and project implementation. Our friendly and knowledgeable team will help with;

• Discussions around strategic needs, project scope and how likely the project is to be funded
• Coordinating and advising on your application and managing the submission process, to maximise chances of success. The success rate of submitted applications is currently around 85-90%
• Coordinating recruitment of the Associate who will be employed by Lancaster University, but based within your business
• Providing ongoing support to your KTP project, helping with the administration, financial management and overseeing any requirements for reporting to funders

Funding

KTPs are part-funded by a grant administered through UKRI Innovate UK, with the company partner contributing the balance to ensure the full cost of the project is met.  Costs are typically around £90,000-£100,000 per project year. The grant rate for small and medium sized enterprises is 67% of the full cost. For large companies it is 50% and for third sector it is up to 75%.

Companies can apply for R&D tax relief, potentially reducing costs further.

Business Experience

"The impact of the KTP will be felt in Atkinson Vos for years. The effect on the business has been transformational. We have an agile design and engineering team, whose knowledge and expertise can be utilised in many different ways. We anticipate increased turnover and more importantly, profits. Our partnership with Lancaster University has been wonderful. We would never have been able to make such rapid progress or to attract the talent we have to the business without the KTP."

Simon Ward, Director, Atkinson Vos