Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Partnerships 6 (AKT 6)
Forecasted
Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Partnerships 6 (AKT 6) supports UK knowledge bases and businesses in rapid collaborations to evaluate or develop innovations addressing strategic business challenges.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Submission deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to £35,000 grant per three-month project; up to £2.5 million total fund; 90% grant rate
Summary: Innovate UK supports rapid knowledge-transfer partnerships between UK Knowledge Bases and businesses to evaluate or develop innovations.
Key Information: The Knowledge Base leads and receives the grant; the business must have at least four FTE employees.
Description
Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (AKT) is run by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation. It connects UK higher or further education institutions, research and technology organisations (RTOs), and Catapults with UK businesses for short, targeted interventions. Projects accelerate the evaluation or development of an innovation concept with potential for significant business impact, establishing new partnerships or consolidating existing collaborations through knowledge exchange.
Applications must address a specific, strategic business challenge and demonstrate a genuine market opportunity or viable route to market. Priority goes to projects aligned with Innovate UK’s six Industrial Strategy sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, and Life Sciences. Other projects may qualify if they exploit novel research and the business has high growth potential. Standalone research projects are not funded.
