What makes a good KTP application?
KTP applications are assessed nationally every few months with the highest scoring projects securing a grant from Innovate UK. Whilst not an exhaustive list, a successful KTP application will be able to describe:
- the reasons why a KTP partnership is required, what additionality will the University provide?
- what strategic need will be addressed?
- what new capability will be developed and embedded?
- what are the predicted benefits to all parties?
Benefits will be developed by the business, the university and the KTP Associate and these typically include; increased turnover and profit, teaching and research outputs and experience and development opportunities for the Associate.
In addition to the innovation led ‘classic’ KTP, the new management KTP (mKTP) will focus on productivity improvements and change management through new management systems and business processes. However, the application and assessment criteria are broadly the same.
KTP project criteria
- Strategic relevance to the business.
- Demonstrably innovative.
- Sound business case, delivering high impact/wealth creation with a clear route to market.
- Clear need for the knowledge base input.
- Stimulating and challenging for the academic team.
- Intellectually challenging for the Associate.
- The outcomes/benefits would not occur without the KTP.
- Clear knowledge transfer (not consultancy or contract research).
- The project must not replace the use of independent consultants.
- The project must not replace solutions that can be obtained off the shelf.
- The potential benefits will be likely to accrue.
Assessment criteria (for each party)
Each KTP is reviewed independently by three assessors who are considering the following four criteria, in addition to the commercial return for the KTP and the route to market.
- Impact
- Innovation
- Challenge
- Cohesiveness
Innovate UK sector focus
Innovate UK has aligned innovation support programmes into four key sector groups plus an ‘open’ approach. These are:
- Emerging and Enabling Technologies (new products, processes and services of tomorrow).
- Health and Life Sciences (agriculture and food, healthcare, energy and chemicals and materials).
- Infrastructure Systems (from energy and transport to health and the digital economy).
- Manufacturing and Materials (the development, validation and application of cross-cutting manufacturing and materials technologies and processes to drive productivity and growth).
- Open (accessible to all businesses undertaking innovation, irrespective of the technology or sector in which they are working).
