AKT2I (Accelerated Knowledge Transfer to Innovate) ran as an Innovate UK-funded pilot scheme delivered in 2022/23.
The programme was designed to create short-term collaborations between a Business Partner and a UK Knowledge Base* to rapidly inject innovation capacity. Inspired by the highly successful partnership model of KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership), AKT2I’s concept was to deliver a rapid and targeted intervention to accelerate the evaluation or development of an innovation project or concept, which has the potential for significant impact for the Business Partner.
A total of 129 projects were funded as part of this pilot. The range of projects were diverse – from bilingual communications tools to on-farm carbon capture – representing all kinds of businesses and third sector organisations right across the UK.
*UK Higher Education (HE), Further Education (FE) institution, Research Organisation (RTO) or Catapult.
Find out more about a selection of the 129 pilot projects funded in the AKT2I pilot competition on the links below, or view the full project directory:
Business growth, resilience and sustainability relies on Improving productivity and creating faster pathways to innovation. This often requires an input of new knowledge, skills and fresh thinking.
AKT2I (Accelerated Knowledge Transfer to Innovate) was designed to build an intensive partnership with a specialist academic team to deliver a short, and targeted intervention (two to four months) to accelerate the evaluation or development of an innovation project or concept, which has the potential for significant impact for the Business Partner.
The value of business-academic collaboration was successfully evidenced by Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme which has been delivering positive impacts for businesses for nearly 50 years. As a deep dive approach, KTP is ideal for businesses with a clear, strategic challenge. But for many, particularly SMEs, the real challenge can be identifying the barriers – and solutions – to open innovation, greater productivity and agency.
For these businesses, a shorter term, more rapid intervention can be the ideal solution. AKT2I, based on the successful partnership model of KTP, was launched to create an intensive collaboration that rapidly transfers new knowledge and creates a framework to help business teams:
If you think an AKT2I could help your organisation identify innovation opportunities or challenges, please click here for the latest competition details.
Or, as AKT2I projects may lead to a KTP, you can find the latest KTP competition details here.
You can view the Competition Guidance for the AKT2I Pilot here. Please note that this was prepared for the pilot scheme competition which is now closed. The Guidance is subject to change in any future competitions and is provided for general guidance only.