Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) — NI Top-Up
Funds Northern Ireland and United Kingdom small businesses through graduate researcher placements that connect companies with real-world development.
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a UK-wide programme that places graduates within businesses for approximately two years to transfer academic expertise into commercial projects. In Northern Ireland, Invest NI and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund top up the Innovate UK contribution, meaning NI SMEs pay only 33% of project costs (vs. 50% for large companies). Two tracks are available: Technical KTP for discipline-specific graduate placements (engineering, ICT, construction) and Management KTP for strategic improvement across all sectors. Applications are submitted through Innovate UK on a rolling basis.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.