A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a UK government part-funded scheme that places a graduate — the KTP Associate — inside a business for 12–36 months to transfer academic knowledge and expertise into a specific innovation project. It is run by Innovate UK (part of UK Research and Innovation, UKRI) and has operated continuously since 1975. This guide covers who is eligible, what a KTP actually costs, Innovate UK’s grant contribution rates by business size, and the application steps.
KTP at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who applies | The knowledge base (university, college, research and technology organisation, or Catapult) submits the application, in partnership with a UK-based business |
| Who funds it | Innovate UK grant + business contribution, split by business size (see table below) |
| Typical project value | £80,000–£100,000 per year in support (academic team, consumables, Associate salary, training, travel) |
| Project length | 12–36 months |
| Two types | Classic KTP (better products/services) and Management KTP (better business processes) |
| Who leads day to day | The KTP Associate, employed by the knowledge base but working primarily inside the business |
Last verified 16 August 2026 against UK Research and Innovation’s live Innovate UK guidance pages (cited throughout, with each page’s own “last updated” date noted below).
Who is eligible for a KTP
A KTP is a three-way partnership. All three parties have to be in place before an application can be submitted:
- A UK-based business or organisation with a specific innovation challenge it cannot solve with in-house expertise alone. There is no sector restriction, and both established businesses and social enterprises/charities can take part.
- A UK-registered knowledge base — a university, college, research and technology organisation, or Catapult — that has the relevant expertise and is willing to supervise the project. Most knowledge bases run a dedicated KTP office that scopes projects and helps develop applications; find local advice on participating knowledge bases is available directly through Innovate UK.
- A suitably qualified graduate (the Associate) able to lead a strategic project inside the business, recruited jointly by the knowledge base and the business once a grant offer is accepted.
Only the knowledge base can submit the application — a business cannot apply for a KTP directly. If a business does not already have a knowledge base partner, Innovate UK recommends contacting a local Knowledge Transfer Adviser (KTA), who can help identify the right academic partner (which is not necessarily the closest one geographically).
What a KTP project costs, and Innovate UK’s grant rates
A typical KTP delivers a support package worth roughly £80,000 to £100,000 per year, covering the academic team’s time, project consumables, the Associate’s salary, mentoring/training/development, and travel and subsistence. Innovate UK covers a proportion of that total through a grant; the business funds the remainder. The grant rate depends on the size and type of the business partner, and — for knowledge bases costing on a Full Economic Costing (FEC) basis — whether the project is FEC or non-FEC costed:
| Business type | Innovate UK grant contribution | Business funds the remainder |
|---|---|---|
| Large business or public sector organisation | 50% | 50% |
| Micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) — FEC-costed project | 67% | 33% |
| Micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) — non-FEC-costed project | 60% | 40% |
| Social enterprise, co-operative or charity, 499 or fewer employees (FTE) | up to 75% | 25% or more |
| Social enterprise, co-operative or charity, 500+ employees (FTE) | up to 50% | 50% or more |
The grant rate that applies reflects the business’s size on the date Innovate UK approves funding. If the business is part of a larger group, the group’s total size — not just the applying entity — determines the rate. Many businesses also use UK R&D tax relief to recoup part of their share; that requires separate advice from an accountant, as it sits outside the KTP grant itself.
Illustrative example (not a real project — a calculation walkthrough only): a 40-employee manufacturing SME partners with a university engineering department on a 24-month classic KTP costing £180,000 in total, non-FEC costed. At the 60% SME non-FEC rate, Innovate UK’s grant would cover roughly £108,000, leaving the business to fund about £72,000 over the two years — against a project it could not otherwise afford to run with in-house R&D staff alone.
The KTP Associate role
The Associate is a graduate recruited specifically to lead the project, employed under contract by the knowledge base but working day to day inside the business. KTP is one of the UK’s largest graduate recruitment programmes, advertising over 300 Associate roles a year through KTP associate vacancy listings, university knowledge-base websites, and general graduate job boards. Each Associate has a dedicated training and development budget covering both project-specific and general professional development. Because most Associate roles are full-time, Innovate UK’s guidance notes that a candidate finishing a thesis or course should complete it before the likely KTP start date. Around three-quarters of Associates are reported to be offered permanent positions with the business partner at the end of the project; others typically remain in the sector, move into academia, or start their own businesses.
How to apply for a KTP
- Find a knowledge base partner. A business with existing academic contacts should approach that institution’s KTP office directly. A business without a partner should contact a local knowledge base or a Knowledge Transfer Adviser for guidance on the right fit.
- Develop the application jointly. The knowledge base and business scope the project together. Innovate UK advises writing the application so a reviewer from outside the sector can understand the challenge, the proposed innovation, and why it matters — assessors are experienced in the knowledge-exchange process generally, not necessarily in the applicant’s specific industry.
- Submit through the knowledge base. Only the knowledge base can submit; a Knowledge Transfer Adviser appointed by Innovate UK supports both partners through the process and may set interim milestones.
- Wait for assessment. KTP funding is competitively awarded within each round. Innovate UK typically notifies applicants of the outcome within 12 weeks of the competition closing.
- Accept the grant offer and recruit. If successful, the partnership receives a formal grant offer. Once accepted, the knowledge base and business jointly recruit the Associate, who is contracted by the knowledge base.
KTP application rounds and deadlines
KTP runs multiple competition rounds per year on a continuous cycle, each followed by a mandatory new-partners workshop for successful applicants. Confirmed open and close dates as published by Innovate UK:
| Funding round | Opens | Closes | New partners workshop |
|---|---|---|---|
| KTP round one, 2026 to 2027 | 2 February 2026 | 1 April 2026 | 1 July 2026 |
| KTP round two, 2026 to 2027 | 20 April 2026 | 24 June 2026 | 17 September 2026 |
| KTP round three, 2026 to 2027 | 29 June 2026 | 16 September 2026 | 9 December 2026 |
| KTP round four, 2026 to 2027 | 21 September 2026 | 18 November 2026 | 17 February 2027 |
| KTP round five, 2026 to 2027 | 23 November 2026 | 3 February 2027 | 22 April 2027 |
| KTP round one, 2027 to 2028 | 8 February 2027 | 21 April 2027 | 14 July 2027 |
| KTP round two, 2027 to 2028 | 26 April 2027 | 23 June 2027 | to be confirmed |
All dates are subject to change; the current, authoritative list is always the Innovate UK Funding Service competition listing rather than any third-party summary, including this one.
Classic KTP vs. Management KTP
Innovate UK funds two variants under the same programme rules and grant rates:
- Classic KTP — focused on developing a better product, process or service, typically drawing on a technical or scientific discipline.
- Management KTP — focused on improving how the business itself operates (strategy, operations, management practice), typically drawing on a business or management discipline.
Both use the same three-party structure, the same 12–36 month Associate placement model, and the same grant-rate table above; the difference is the discipline and the nature of the challenge being addressed, not the funding mechanics.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)?
A KTP is a UK, Innovate UK part-funded partnership between a business and a university, college, research and technology organisation, or Catapult, built around a graduate Associate who leads a specific innovation project inside the business for 12–36 months.
Who is eligible to apply for a KTP?
Eligibility requires all three parties: a UK-based business with a genuine innovation need, a UK-registered knowledge base willing to supervise the project, and (once funded) a suitably qualified graduate to act as Associate. The application itself must be submitted by the knowledge base, not the business.
What is Innovate UK’s KTP grant rate?
50% of eligible project costs for large businesses and public sector organisations; 67% for SMEs on FEC-costed projects or 60% on non-FEC-costed projects; up to 75% for social enterprises, co-operatives and charities with 499 or fewer employees, and up to 50% for larger ones. The business funds the remainder.
How long does a KTP project last?
Between 12 and 36 months, set by the scope of the project agreed between the business and the knowledge base.
Who employs the KTP Associate?
The knowledge base holds the Associate’s employment contract, even though the Associate works primarily inside the business for the duration of the project.
Can a business apply for a KTP directly?
No. Only the knowledge base can submit a KTP application, working jointly with the business partner throughout development and delivery.
Related CASRAI resources
- Innovate UK Smart Grants: Current Status, What They Fund, and Alternatives — a different Innovate UK scheme (direct project grants, not a graduate-placement partnership).
- UKRI Grants: How the Nine Councils and Funding Service Fit Together — where Innovate UK sits within UKRI’s wider funding structure.
- UKRI Funding: How UK Research and Innovation Works
- Technology Readiness Level (TRL) — the maturity scale often used to describe how KTP-supported innovations progress.
- Gateway to Research (GtR) — UKRI’s public record of funded projects, including some KTPs.
- Funding Options for a University Spinout: SBIR/STTR, Gap Funds, Licensing, and VC — for institutions comparing KTP against other routes to move research into commercial use.
- Technology Transfer & Innovation — the CASRAI hub for university tech-transfer and licensing content.
