Business Brochure - Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Accelerating Business InnovationKnowledge Transfer Partnerships is Europe’s leading programme helping businessesto improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge,technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base.A Technology Strategy Board programme

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships is a UK-wide programme, funded by the Technology Strategy Board with 19 other funding organisations.Technology Strategy Board(www.innovateuk.org)Invest Northern Ireland(www.investni.com)Advantage West Midlands(www.advantagewm.co.uk)Natural Environment Research Council(www.nerc.ac.uk)Arts and Humanities Research Council(www.ahrc.ac.uk)The Northern Way(www.thenorthernway.co.uk)Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council(www.bbsrc.ac.uk)Northwest Regional Development Agency(www.nwda.co.uk)Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs(www.defra.gov.uk)The Development Agency for the North East of England(www.onenortheast.co.uk)Department of Health(www.dh.gov.uk)Science & Technology Facilities Council(www.scitech.ac.uk)East Midlands Development Agency(www.emda.org.uk/main)Science & TechnologyFacilities CouncilSouth East England Development Agency(www.seeda.co.uk)Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council(www.epsrc.ac.uk)Scottish Government(www.scotland.gov.uk)European Social Fund(www.esf.gov.uk)South West Regional Development Agency(www.southwestrda.org.uk)Economic & Social Research Council(www.esrc.ac.uk)Welsh Assembly Government(www.wales.gov.uk)Knowledge Transfer Partnerships is a Technology Strategy Board programme, accelerating business innovation. The role of lead sponsor for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships transferred from theDepartment for Innovation, Universities and Skills to the new Technology Strategy Board in July 2007. The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led, executive non-departmental public body,established by the Government. Its mission is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increaseeconomic growth and improve the quality of life.

Could your businessbenefit from a KnowledgeTransfer Partnership (KTP)?Contents2 What is a KTP?4 What can KTP offer you?6 My KTP experienceAverage benefits achieved by a single KTP include:An increase of over £220,000 in annual profits before taxThe creation of three genuine new jobs8 How does KTP work?10 What will it cost mycompany?An increase in the skills of existing staffwww.ktponline.org.uk/business 1

Knowledge Transfer Partnershipsis Europe’s leading programme helping businessesto improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better useof knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base.What is a Knowledge TransferAKnowledge Transfer Partnership involves theformation of a partnership between yourbusiness (the business partner) and an academicinstitute (knowledge base partner), enabling you toaccess skills and expertise to help yourcompany develop. The partnership alsoinvolves one or more recently qualifiedpersons (Associates) to facilitate this transferof knowledge. The Associate works withinyour company on a project central to yourneeds and is jointly supervised by companypersonnel and a senior academic.2Knowledge Transfer PartnershipsAccelerating Business Innovation; a Technology Strategy Board programme

Partnership?“Gareth Richards has nowbeen with ChamoisFurnishings Ltd for nearlytwo years as he comes tothe end of his KTPappointment. His rolewithin the company hasproved significant and keyto the future standing ofthe business. We have beenmost fortunate in selectingsomeone as capable andcommitted as Gareth in ourfirst KTP experience.”Andrew Jones-Dutt, Managing Director,Chamois Furnishings Ltdwww.ktponline.org.uk/business 3

What can KTP offer you?By participating in KTP you can:Access highly qualified people to spearheadnew projectsAccess experts who can help take yourbusiness forwardDevelop innovative solutions to help yourbusiness growDevelop your business for today’s marketBusiness performance outputs varyconsiderably from case to case, giventhe rich variety of the projects. Latestinformation shows that the averagebenefits achieved by a single KTPinclude:An increase of over £220,000 inannual profits before taxThe creation of three genuinenew jobsAn increase in skills of existing staff4Knowledge Transfer PartnershipsAccelerating Business Innovation; a Technology Strategy Board programme

“Our relationship withKTP has allowed thecompany to becomemore consumer-drivenand target new marketsand products.We now have a strategy inplace that will develop newmarkets and increasebrand awareness. KTP’sexpertise has beeninstrumental in growing ourturnover and getting newproducts to market.”Nick Hamlett, Managing Director,Goodlife Foods Limitedwww.ktponline.org.uk/business 5

MiddlemarchEnvironmental LtdMy KTP experienceDr Andy Tasker is Chief Executive ofWarwickshire Wildlife Trust, one of47 Wildlife Trusts throughout the UKdedicated to nature conservation andenvironmental education. Andy isAndy Tasker tellsus a bit abouthis company’sexperiencesof KTP.“Our first KTP was with AstonUniversity and I can remembercoming out of the first meetingand wanting to pinch myselfbecause here were all thesepeople from Aston University and“KTPs have helped us increase inthree main areas: turnover, profitand cash flow. It is not just moneyhowever, it is also people. We nowhave over 25 professionalecologists, we have two peoplealso Chief Executive of the Trust’ssubsidiary consultancy company,Middlemarch Environmental Ltd, nowKTP wanting to help us, and therewas the Government going to giveus some money towards thisproject. It was unbelievable – wethat have finished KTPs that nowwork for us in senior positions andwe have two people that arecurrently doing KTPs that will workone of the top six biodiversityconsultancies in the country. To date,Middlemarch Environmental Ltd hasbeen involved in five KTPs, rangingfrom biodiversity action plans, toengineering and business systemsmanagement.looked for the catch but therewasn’t one because that is whatKTPs are about, putting somemoney from Government intodeveloping where you want to be.After the success of the first KTPwe thought hang on a minute, thisis good, we could do some otherthings here.for us in the future.“One of the key things for us isbringing a closer workingrelationship with the academicinstitute. We now have contactswith Warwick Business School. Wehave MBA students wanting towork with us as a case study.6 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Accelerating Business Innovation; a Technology Strategy Board programme

“Clients are happy with what wedo because KTP provides theseinnovative projects and productsthat help us to get morebusiness. Being involved inKTPs has made us ahead of thecompetition.“For businesses that have notdone KTPs, they are anexcellent opportunity.”www.ktponline.org.uk/business 7

How does it“We always monitor and takeprecautions when we do seismicsurveys, but we think we could dobetter. The practical advice andtechnical expertise from the Universityof Plymouth in developing this newsystem is a real step forward.”John Duncan, Managing Director,Westland GeoProjects Ltd8 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Accelerating Business Innovation; a Technology Strategy Board programme

With the help of a KTP Adviser and the support of your KTP Office, you will identify an academic or researcher who has the right expertise for your business.With your chosen knowledge base partner, you will then define and agree a project that will enable you to draw on their expertise and apply it to yourbusiness. The agreed project could be for any length of time between one and three years, with the overall aim of helping your business make a step change in anarea that you have identified as a high priority.work?Which businesses can take part?KTP has worked with over 3,000 organisations.From manufacturing to design, sustainability tomarketing; any business sector, including 'not forprofit' and public sector organisations such as theNHS, can take part. Businesses of all sizes can takepart too. Ask your KTP Adviser or KTP Office formore advice.What type of projects can wecarry out?KTP works across a wide range of academicdisciplines from over 140 knowledge bases. Expertisefrom the knowledge bases has already helpedbusinesses to improve their performance.For example:Improving existing products or developing newproductsDeveloping and implementing a marketingstrategy to enter new marketsDeveloping new systems and frameworksto improve efficiencies in staff andprocessesHow does the project develop?When you, your Adviser, KTP Office and knowledgebase partner have worked together to prepare aproposal, the knowledge base partner makes aformal application to the Government for approval.Once it has been approved, you and the knowledgebase partner will recruit an Associate to work on theproject. Your KTP Associate will be a recentlyqualified person (NVQ level four, equivalent orabove, such as a graduate or postgraduate. Theyare employed by the knowledge base partner butwork in your business to manage the project, applytheir own knowledge and ensure that the expertiseof the knowledge base partner is transferred intoyour business. Academics from the knowledgebase remain closely involved throughout the project,working with people to contribute their ownknowledge and experience. They will spend theequivalent of at least half a day each week with youand your KTP Associate.www.ktponline.org.uk/business 9

What will it cost my company?AKTP is part-funded by a Government grant. A small to medium sized enterprise (SME) would be expected to contributeabout a third of the costs involved in the project. Average annual contribution to the project for an SME would be from justover £20,000. This contributes to the costs of the Knowledge Base Supervisor and Associate employment and development.Your contribution to the costs of the project not only gives you the services of your KTP Associate but also the time andexpertise of the academics or researchers working with you.What does the KTP Associate getout of the collaboration?You and the knowledge base partner recruit the KTPAssociate; as a full-time employee. However, while theyare working in your business they will gain valuablebusiness-based experience and will spend at least 10per cent of their time on personal and professionaldevelopment. This enables them to better manage yourproject whilst also enhancing their own careerprospects.Are there any restrictions?A KTP may not be appropriate for every business.Very small businesses or very recent start-ups may nothave the capacity to provide support for the KTPAssociate or the resources to commit to the project.One of our KTP Advisers will also need to be satisfiedat an early stage in discussions about the financialviability of any business wanting to establish a KTP.As a measure of the value KTP Associates bring to abusiness, previous experience shows that around 75per cent of them are offered a permanent full-time jobby the business on completion of their project, often insenior roles in the organisation.10Knowledge Transfer PartnershipsAccelerating Business Innovation; a Technology Strategy Board programme

“With the success of KTP,Blairs has been able toreappraise the company’sgrowth strategy.Firstly, the company’s ability tocompete in the intenselycompetitive market place hasbeen enhanced throughincreased capacity of 82%.Secondly, the KTP project hasseen the company growfinancially and, indeed, re-setits turnover target from theoriginal £12 million to£14 million next year and£20 million by 2011. This sort ofperformance level was not evenconsidered before KTP.”Allen French, Engineering Director,Blairs Ltdwww.ktponline.org.uk/business 11

Further informationIn EnglandBusiness Link networkwww.businesslink.gov.uk or call 0845 600 9006In ScotlandWest of Scotland KTP CentreTel: 0141 548 3733Email: ktp.centre@strath.ac.ukWeb: www.ktp.strath.ac.ukEast of Scotland KTP CentreTel: 0131 455 2686Email: enquiries@ktpcentre.comWeb: www.ktpcentre.comNorth of Scotland KTP CentreTel: 01224 272194Email: ktp-link@abdn.ac.ukWeb: www.ktp-link.co.ukTayside KTP CentreTel: 07887 528999Email: nei1stewart@aol.comWeb: www.taysidektp.orgIn WalesJarmila DaviesTechnology Programme ManagerWelsh Assembly GovernmentPlas GlyndwrKingswayCardiffCF10 34HTel: 02920 828738Email: jarmila.davies@wales.gsi.gov.ukIn Northern IrelandInvest Northern Irelandwww.investni.com or call 028 9023 9090Other innovation programmes fromthe Technology Strategy BoardKnowledge Transfer Networks: a portfolio ofnetworks designed to stimulate innovation in the UKeconomy through higher levels of R&D and knowledgetransfer. Networks bring together businesses,universities and others with an interest in technologyapplications.Collaborative Research and Development:across a wide range of sectors which providesco-funding to enable industry and researchcommunities to collaborate on R&D projects bringinginnovative ideas closer to reality.For more information visitwww.innovateuk.org12 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Accelerating Business Innovation; a Technology Strategy Board programme

Tel: 0870 190 2829E-mail: ktp-help@ktponline.org.ukWeb: www.ktponline.org.uk/businessPrinted in the UK on recycled paper with a minimum HMSO score of 75. © Copyright Technology Strategy Board 2009.