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UK

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Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

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Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) enable businesses to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance through the forming of a Partnership between a business and an academic institution enabling to access skills and expertise to help business develop. KTP enables new capability to be embedded into the business and is available to micro sized, small and large businesses and third sector organisations. Projects duration is between one and three years.

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• SMEs: 66% funding

• Large companies: 50% funding

 

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Government Grant for Research and Development

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The Government Grant for Research and Development provides finance to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses in England to research and develop technologically innovative products and processes. The Government Grant for Research and Development is administered by the nine English Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).

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• 35–60% of eligible project costs covered, depending on the type of grant

 

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Grants dependant of type of project

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Micro projects

Low-cost development projects lasting no longer than 12 months. A grant of up to £20,000 is available to businesses with fewer than ten employees.

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Research projects

Projects to investigate the technical and commercial feasibility of innovative technology. A grant of up to £100,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Projects should last six to 18 months.

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Development projects

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Projects to develop a pre-production prototype of a new product or process that involves a significant technological advance. Projects take six to 36 months. A grant of up to £250,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 250 employees.

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Exceptional development projects

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Projects involve a significant technological advance and are strategically important for a particular technology or industrial sector. Projects take six to 36 months. A negotiable grant of up to £500,000 is available to businesses with a qualifying project.

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Technology Strategy Board (TSB)

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Collaborative research and development (R&D) is designed to assist the industrial and research communities to work together on R&D projects in strategically important areas of science, engineering and technology, from which successful new products, processes and services can emerge.

Regular competitions for funding of collaborative R&D projects are released throughout the year.

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Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI)

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SBRI utilises government procurement to accelerate technology development, supporting projects through the stages of feasibility and prototyping which are typically hard to fund. SBRI funding calls are released throughout the year.

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R&D Tax Credits

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R&D tax credits help companies to invest more in R&D and can either reduce a company’s tax bill or, for some small or medium sized companies (SMEs), provide a cash sum. Eligibility requires a minimum spend of £10,000 each year on R&D.

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Industrial CASE Awards

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Industrial CASE are three and a half year postgraduate awards allocated to companies either directly or through agents (Knowledge Transfer Networks and Regional Development Agencies). The aim of the awards is to enable companies to take the lead in defining, and arranging, projects, with an academic partner of their choice.

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EngD

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A company sponsors a four year PhD-level doctorate degree, with an emphasis on research and development in a commercial environment. Research is focused on the needs of a company sponsor and may consist of either a single large project or a portfolio of smaller projects. For each project the company makes a minimum cash contribution of £7,000 per annum. Existing company employees are also eligible and will receive a grant.

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CICStart

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The awards are aimed at collaborative work that will lead to new products and processes for more sustainable building design, construction and refurbishment.