Knowledge Transfer Partnerships — Embedding Graduates to Move University Research into UK Businesses

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) are three-way arrangements between a UK business, an academic "knowledge base" (a university, college or research organisation) and a recent graduate — the "associate" — who is embedded inside the business for one to three years to apply specialist university knowledge to a specific commercial problem, with the project part-funded by an Innovate UK grant.
Between 2010 and 2020 the scheme supported around 2,000 projects worth roughly £200 million in grant funding, involving 136 different knowledge bases and 3,000 graduate associates. An independent evaluation commissioned by Innovate UK on behalf of UKRI — carried out by SQW with Qa Research and published 27 October 2023 — combined econometric analysis, monitoring data, business surveys and case studies, and estimated £1.7–2.3 billion in net gross value added for the UK economy, equivalent to £4.20–£5.50 in net economic benefit per £1 invested. 83% of participating businesses reported increases in productivity, profitability, employment or turnover, and 92% of knowledge-base partners reported enhanced understanding of industry challenges.
75% of beneficiary businesses and 68% of knowledge-base partners were located outside London and the Greater South-East, indicating genuine reach beyond the UK's most R&D-intensive region. Aston University, currently the UK's largest single KTP provider, separately reports a portfolio-level return exceeding 1,700% for host businesses after three years — a promotional, institution-level figure rather than an independently audited national statistic, but a consistent directional signal alongside the national evaluation.

Read the full analysis: https://www.ukri.org/blog/marking-45-years-of-innovate-uk-knowledge-transfer-partnerships/