KTP is a government funded framework for driving innovation and growth by linking university knowledge and resources with UK companies and industry partners. KTP has been operating for more than 40 years with some of the biggest names in business – including Dyson and Jaguar Landrover – and some of the smallest too!

A KTP enables a business to bring in new skills and the latest academic thinking to deliver a specific, strategic innovation project. KTP helps develop lasting relationships for ongoing strategic innovation and sustainable growth.

The government has created KTPs to help drive innovation and productivity in the UK, to ensure businesses remain competitive in a changing market and continue to grow and develop.

KTP is for projects with ambitious levels of innovation, impact and challenge that result in significant wealth creation. It might be a new development within your sector or a chance to enter a different market – whatever the innovation, it will be a challenge to the project team and provide a step-change for the company.

The majority of KTPs involve small or medium sized companies, but the scheme is open to larger business, as well as non-profit and third sector organisations. The only exclusions are public sector organisations.

A project can last from one to three years in one month blocks.

Oxford Brookes University is committed to sharing expertise and translating our knowledge into practical, commercial responses to real-world business challenges and this in turn increases our fund of knowledge as a University. Work undertaken through KTPs contributes to the University’s academic outputs including research papers and enriching teaching by providing in-depth, live case studies or access to industry partners and experts.

To take part, companies need to have a registered base in the UK. Businesses will also need evidence that they can afford a KTP and invest in its outcomes.

For a small or medium size company, government bodies, such as Innovate UK, contribute two-thirds of the cost. So for a typical project worth approximately £75,000 per annum, your company invests just £25,000 a year. That’s £25,000 a year to embed a graduate in your company, backed up by the weight of senior academics and the resources of a university, to bring new capability and wealth creation. In fact, the average increase in pre-tax profit for a business that takes part in KTP is over £1m per annum.

• a full-time 'KTP Associate' (graduate) actions the project from within the company

• the Associate is recruited jointly but employed by the university

• a university expert leads the approach, working with the Associate half a day per week

• the Associate accesses knowledge and resources at the university

• the KTP brings budgets for contributions to equipment, training and travel

• the KTP is jointly managed to ensure successful completion

Contact our KTP Office to discuss your idea. We will scope out a project with you, and work together on a grant application. Did you know - nearly 90% of KTP applications are successful!