Driving research and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Collaborative and commissioned research

As a world-leading research institution, we power transformative change by translating our research and education into real world impact.

We have a strong track record in working with industry partners both on commissioned research projects to address a specific business need or innovation, and on collaborative Government funded research projects.

Innovate UK is the UK’s national innovation agency. It provides Government funding to businesses and research organisations across the UK, primarily through grant funding competitions that encourage businesses to work with other commercial and research organisations. We partner with businesses to provide research expertise for Innovate UK bids.

Through its core grant funding, Innovate UK supports a wide range of businesses and ideas needed to maximise economic growth and societal impact across the country.

Our sector experts in Exeter Innovation can match your R&D needs to an academic expert and work with you to develop research proposals and applications. If you are interested in exploring opportunities to collaborate on a research bid, or directly commissioning a piece of research, please contact: innovation@exeter.ac.uk.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) give your organisation the opportunity to access new expertise, develop new products and services, and unlock industry-leading solutions – all at a reduced cost.

Facilitated by a high-calibre graduate who transfers expertise from our academics to your organisation, KTPs are perfect when an organisation is looking to innovate but can’t acquire the necessary skills, know-how or expertise through recruitment or consultancy alone. KTPs are sponsored by Innovate UK, who can fund between 50-75% of the costs.

We have a successful track record in KTPs, having delivered over 100 projects to partner organisations, enabling them to access our world leading expertise.

We are the leading Knowledge Base partner for KTPs in Southwest England, with a 95% KTP funding success rate

We have successfully delivered over 100 KTPs – with 85% KTPs rated ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’

Award Winning

National KTP Award winners for ‘Business Impact and Transformation’ and ‘Technical Excellence’ (2022)

To find out more about our KTPs, please check out our FAQs or please email Sophie O’Callaghan s.v.g.ocallaghan@exeter.ac.uk or Laura Buchanan l.s.buchanan2@exeter.ac.uk.