Celebrating 50 years of innovation between academia and business

This week, over 500 hundred representatives from universities across the country gathered in Manchester to celebrate the innovation between academia and business that has been achieved over the past 50 years and to discuss the future of collaborative innovation. 

The KTP25 Conference and Awards took place from 28 to 30 October 2025, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships scheme. The event was hosted by the University of Salford, Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Manchester along with Innovate UK. 

KTPs are a UK-wide programme designed to foster innovation by linking businesses with academic institutions. With funding and support provided by Innovate UK, the scheme enables companies to access cutting-edge research and specialist knowledge to solve strategic challenges, develop new products and enhance their competitive edge.

Since their launch in 1975, the UK Government has funded over 14,000 groundbreaking Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP), uniting top businesses with researchers and graduates to solve real-world challenges, adding billions to the UK economy.  From 2010 to 2020 alone, Innovate UK invested £200m in 2,000 projects, adding £2.3bn to the UK economy.

The conference opened on Wednesday 29 October with an address from Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Salford, followed by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham. Nic reflected on the history of collaboration between academia and business, acknowledging that the challenges identified 50 years ago – the need for integration, real-world relevance and high impact – are still with us today.

Nic said: “Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are crucial for the UK’s innovation landscape. By embedding research-led solutions into businesses, KTPs help companies to enhance productivity, create jobs and contribute to the UK economy.

“Here at Salford, we have a long history of co-creating knowledge solutions with a wide range of partners. We were one of the very first pioneers of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships 50 years ago, taking part in the initial pilot of the scheme in 1975. The 50th anniversary celebrations are an opportunity to celebrate what has been achieved and look ahead to the future of collaborative approaches to research with relevance.”

The North West is the leading region for KTPs outside of Scotland. Since 2015, Innovate UK has funded KTP projects in over 500 businesses from the region. Today, there are over 80 KTP projects live within the region, accounting for over £10 million in grant funding awards.

Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, Lord Vallance, said: “Knowledge Transfer Partnerships have long supported collaboration between our renowned universities, UK innovators and thriving businesses – from helping household brands to produce their goods more efficiently through to unleashing new discoveries that improve lives. They also demonstrate the benefit of public investment, with ambitious, Innovate-UK-backed projects across the country having added billions of pounds to our economy in the previous decade alone. I look forward to these partnerships supporting the next generation of cutting-edge innovations.”

In addition to a programme of guest speakers, workshops and seminars, the KTP 25 Conference and Awards also featured the prestigious KTP Golden Awards hosted by Innovate UK, which honoured legacy projects and people who have profoundly shaped the UK economically, socially and environmentally over the past 50 years.

Richard Lamb, KTP Programme Manager at Innovate UK, said: “Celebrating 50 years of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme offers a valuable opportunity to recognise its enduring impact on UK innovation and economic resilience.

“By bridging academia and industry, KTP has extended vital opportunities to businesses and academic partners across the UK, reaching beyond London and the Southeast to drive innovation in fields ranging from STEM to the creative industries and pioneering areas like AI and quantum technology. This collaborative model has not only boosted productivity and growth but has empowered organisations of all sizes to innovate and thrive on a local and national scale. This 50th anniversary is the perfect occasion to reflect on the impressive impact achieved through the programme and its lasting legacy.”