The Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN), would like to encourage UK businesses to get involved in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs). This is a programme led by the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, to support UK businesses wanting to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance by accessing the knowledge and expertise available within UK Universities and Colleges.
The NanoKTN works with companies in the nanotechnology sector to secure KTPs with academic institutions (Knowledge Base Partners). This enables them to improve their performance or business operations. The partnerships bring together the best resources from academia and industry. Each KTP employs one or more recently qualified person (known as Associates) to work on a project of strategic importance to the business. Associates are based with the company, while also being supervised by the Knowledge Base Partner.
Alec Reader, director at the NanoKTN said: “By helping UK businesses improve their productivity and by providing graduates with these opportunities, the NanoKTN is helping to ensure the future of the UK nanotechnology market. The NanoKTN’s key objective is to encourage collaboration and knowledge transfer between key players in industry and academia to support the UK supply chain and to create the continued economic wealth for UK industry. We have found that the use of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships is an excellent way to deliver this.”
Funded by 15 Government organisations and led by the government-backed Technology Strategy Board, there are now over 800 KTPs across the whole of the UK working across a wide variety of organisations, ranging from UK-based companies and charities to education institutions and health organizations.
