AgriFood
KTN helps organisations interested in AgriFood innovation access the expert information, funding and connections needed to drive change. Our experts work with businesses of all sizes; locally, nationally and globally.
Biotechnology
Chemistry
Creative Industries
Digital
Electronics
Energy
Geospatial
Health
Industrial Maths
Infrastructure
Manufacturing
Materials
Photonics
Robotics & AI
Security & Defence
Sensors
Transport
Water
Covid-19
Global Alliance
Innovation
Investment
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Sustainability
Our Work
Explore the diverse range of UK industries supported by KTN.
AgriFood
Biotechnology
Chemistry
Creative Industries
Design
Digital
Electronics
Energy
Geospatial
Health
Industrial Maths
Infrastructure
Manufacturing
Materials
Photonics
Quantum
Robotics & AI
Security & Defence
Sensors
Space
Transport
Water
Covid-19
Global Alliance
Innovation
Investment
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Sustainability
Featured Sector Information
Transforming Foundation Industries at Materials Research Exchange 2022 - a vision for 2050
At Materials Research Exchange 2022 (3rd-5th October), the Transforming Foundation Industries (TFI) Challenge will look at how the industries need to evolve to address the challenges and exploit the opportunities that lie ahead.
Read more
Reimagining the UK design industry to boost sustainability and community innovation
Abi Hird recently met with Jo Barnard to discuss the new Design Declares initiative, and why sustainable design as well as responsible innovation is so important.
Read more
Innovate UK KTN joins consortium running European Space Agency's accelerator for advanced materials
Space exploration has always been a driver of technological and industrial innovation. Developing new products and services by taking advantage of the conditions offered by the Earth’s orbit opens new opportunities for finding technical solutions that respond to the industry challenges, while giving a powerful boost to a new economic sector of huge commercial potential.
Read more
Net Zero Talk: Episode 1 - What are the challenges and opportunities?
Innovate UK KTN’s Net Zero Talk podcast series is helping Local Authorities to explore, share and hear about the best practices to achieve Net-Zero for all Places.
Read more
SPIE Photonex 2022 - the UK’s premier photonics exhibition
Taking place in Birmingham from 6-8 December 2022, SPIE Photonex is a leading photonics exhibition with product demos, industry presentations and technical workshops. This event will bring together 1,500 international engineers and scientists working to impact the areas of photonics, lasers, biophotonics, imaging, lasers, silicon photonics, optical technologies, vacuum components and instruments, and sensor satellite systems.
Read more
Can innovation unlock the potential of seaweed in the UK?
In May 2022, Innovate UK KTN brought the UK seaweed industry together to discuss challenges and opportunities linked to seaweed and to drive collaboration and innovation in the sector. 294 people joined us online to hear from our excellent speakers including farmers, processors, academics and businesses.
Read more
Innovation Alley companies powering the smart factory revolution
Meet 8 of the highly innovative businesses already signed up to exhibit at this year’s Made Smarter Innovation Alley – all boasting disruptive digital technologies, powering the smart factory revolution.
Read more
Biotechnology
The Biotechnology team at KTN focuses on Industrial Biotechnology (IB), Engineering Biology (EB, commonly referred to as Synthetic Biology) and Microbiomes.
Chemistry
By 2050 our industry will have embraced a circular economy and be using different feedstocks, technologies and energy sources to produce chemicals. The KTN Chemistry team can help you navigate these changes and identify innovation that will ensure your business, research or service remains sustainable.
Creative Industries
The KTN Creative team helps organisations interested in innovation in the Creative Industries to access funding, expert knowledge and to make powerful and diverse connections.
Design
Human-centred design is for businesses of any size who are interested in early-stage innovation strategy. For start-ups, strategic design helps get brilliant ideas to the right market. For established businesses, it helps reposition or expand their offering.
Digital
The KTN Digital team helps organisations interested in Digital innovation to access funding, expert knowledge and to make powerful and diverse connections.
Electronics
Electronics is the enabler of all things digital. It is the hardware and embedded software that allows products and processes to communicate, have power, have intelligence and awareness, be controlled, be automated and operate safely. It’s built into many sectors, including health, aerospace, manufacturing and retail.
Energy
KTN’s Energy Team is at the centre of KTN’s work contributing to delivering the UK’s ambitious Net Zero targets. With specialists in Nuclear, Offshore Wind, Thermal Energy Systems, Batteries, Water, Hydrogen, Sustainable Energy, Grid and Distributed Systems, Electrical Energy Systems and Solar, the team has deep expertise, powerful connections and a track record of successful projects delivering environmental and societal impact.
Geospatial
The world is powered by data; turning data into information helps us make decisions across all sectors of the economy. Innovate UK KTN hosts an innovation network that focuses on connecting the data holders and data processors with the people that can benefit from the insight geospatial data can provide.
Health
Health is critical to our wellbeing as individuals, plays a key role in societal and economic advances, and presents many opportunities for environmental impact. Innovations in health & care allow us to alleviate suffering, increase quality of life and life expectancy, and manage the needs of a changing and ageing population.
Industrial Maths
This team within KTN harnesses the power of mathematics to meet business needs and help a wide range of industries express problems in an accessible way. We also facilitate new partnerships with an extensive network of mathematical scientists and institutions across the UK.
Infrastructure
Against an overarching low carbon agenda, our mission is to support the development of UK innovation to deliver clean, accessible and secure energy & water systems through a digitally enabled construction sector and so provide smart, resilient and successful cities and communities.
We do this by simplifying the UK Innovation landscape and providing rapid transfer of high-quality information on technologies, markets, funding and partnering opportunities.
The expertise we bring spans energy systems, water, infrastructure and construction.
Manufacturing
KTN’s Manufacturing team helps manufacturers to innovate, and innovators to manufacture. We work with a broad spectrum of organisations, sectors and technology areas, advising on innovation and connecting to partners, experts, facilities and funding.
Materials
The Materials Team in KTN covers a broad scope of the materials life cycle, from feedstock, processing techniques, design and manufacture, testing, standardisation, resource efficiency and circularity.
Photonics
Photonics is the science and technology of light. This includes lasers, optical systems and components, as well as fibre optics. Photonics is a £13.5bn industry in the UK. Photonics technology is used across various UK industries and in society, from optical communications and data storage to laser sensors for autonomous vehicles.
Quantum
Quantum-enabled devices present a huge market opportunity for the UK. These technologies could transform a range of sectors including transport, healthcare, infrastructure, ICT, telecommunications and defence.
Robotics & AI
From Healthcare to Legaltech, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence are significant globalised technologies that can be applied in many sectors. The extensive industrial and academic research base in the UK can support both the national and global markets in addressing key challenges impacting societies today.
Security & Defence
The UK is committed to spending a minimum 2% of GDP on defence over the next decade, and at least 20% of that spending on equipment. This commitment represents spending some £186 billion on defence equipment and support in the ten years from 2018/19. In addition, the UK is the second largest defence exporter, winning defence orders worth £14 billion (2018).
Sensors
Sensor technologies create measurements and convert them into digital data. This data can then be analysed to inform decision making. What’s being measured could be chemical, bological, physical, mechanical or any other quantities such as chemicals, proteins, weight, dimensions and more.
Space
Space is one of the fastest growing industries in the UK, with the ambition to capture 10% of the world market by 2030. Currently, the UK manufactures over 20% of the satellites in orbit and has established a path towards launching satellites from UK soil by 2021.
Transport
Transport connects people, places, goods and services. Innovation in transport has the potential to benefit our economy, society and environment.
The transport system of the future will be more efficient, cleaner and smarter, through utilising enhanced digital, communication and autonomous technologies.
Water
The water sector impacts on every single person, business and industry type in the UK. We turn on the tap and expect clean water. We rely on the water infrastructure, the pipes, the sewerage treatment, the rapid fixing of leaks. And we expect environmental issues to be a cornerstone of the industry and its operations.
Covid-19
Covid-19 continues to be present in our lives at home and at work. KTN is ideally placed to work for the greater good and has already demonstrated its powerful connections through work on the Vaccines Taskforce, the Ventilator Challenge and advising the government on social distancing. We can bring together sectors to work on supply chain issues and our network can be a source of innovative solutions and approaches.
Global Alliance
We want the very best of the world connected to the very best of the UK. That’s why we built this programme; to form international collaborations with governments, societies, enterprises, institutions and people from every corner of the globe. It is innovation diplomacy at its best.
Innovation
We are driving positive economic, societal, and environmental change through innovation.
Investment
We work with public innovation funding and private finance providers where investment can create a positive change.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
For over 45 years Knowledge Transfer Partnerships have been helping businesses innovate for growth by accessing the UK’s world-leading knowledge base.
Sustainability
The world is changing at an ever greater pace. Industry and innovators are responding, working together to create the products, services and businesses of the future. KTN is here to help.
Featured Sector Information
Transforming Foundation Industries at Materials Research Exchange 2022 - a vision for 2050
At Materials Research Exchange 2022 (3rd-5th October), the Transforming Foundation Industries (TFI) Challenge will look at how the industries need to evolve to address the challenges and exploit the opportunities that lie ahead.
Read more
Reimagining the UK design industry to boost sustainability and community innovation
Abi Hird recently met with Jo Barnard to discuss the new Design Declares initiative, and why sustainable design as well as responsible innovation is so important.
Read more
Innovate UK KTN joins consortium running European Space Agency's accelerator for advanced materials
Space exploration has always been a driver of technological and industrial innovation. Developing new products and services by taking advantage of the conditions offered by the Earth’s orbit opens new opportunities for finding technical solutions that respond to the industry challenges, while giving a powerful boost to a new economic sector of huge commercial potential.
Read more
Net Zero Talk: Episode 1 - What are the challenges and opportunities?
Innovate UK KTN’s Net Zero Talk podcast series is helping Local Authorities to explore, share and hear about the best practices to achieve Net-Zero for all Places.
Read more
SPIE Photonex 2022 - the UK’s premier photonics exhibition
Taking place in Birmingham from 6-8 December 2022, SPIE Photonex is a leading photonics exhibition with product demos, industry presentations and technical workshops. This event will bring together 1,500 international engineers and scientists working to impact the areas of photonics, lasers, biophotonics, imaging, lasers, silicon photonics, optical technologies, vacuum components and instruments, and sensor satellite systems.
Read more
Can innovation unlock the potential of seaweed in the UK?
In May 2022, Innovate UK KTN brought the UK seaweed industry together to discuss challenges and opportunities linked to seaweed and to drive collaboration and innovation in the sector. 294 people joined us online to hear from our excellent speakers including farmers, processors, academics and businesses.
Read more
Innovation Alley companies powering the smart factory revolution
Meet 8 of the highly innovative businesses already signed up to exhibit at this year’s Made Smarter Innovation Alley – all boasting disruptive digital technologies, powering the smart factory revolution.
Read more
News
Women in Innovation Awards 2022/23: briefing videos and application support workshop
Watch our briefing videos, and register for the application support workshop on 11th October.
Read More
News
Geo for Earth podcast: Can we turn the transport sector green with electric vehicles alone?
How can we decarbonise the transport sector with geospatial data? Join our guest speakers from TRL and EV Serious.
Read More
News
Webinar Series: Heating for Net Zero - Decarbonisation of Buildings and Estates
These webinars aim to help local authorities who want to meet net-zero and decarbonise their buildings and estates.
Read More
News
Women in Innovation Awards 2022/23: briefing videos and application support workshop
Watch our briefing videos, and register for the application support workshop on 11th October.
Read More
News
Geo for Earth podcast: Can we turn the transport sector green with electric vehicles alone?
How can we decarbonise the transport sector with geospatial data? Join our guest speakers from TRL and EV Serious.
Read More
News
Webinar Series: Heating for Net Zero - Decarbonisation of Buildings and Estates
These webinars aim to help local authorities who want to meet net-zero and decarbonise their buildings and estates.
Read More
News
Inclusive innovation 2022/23 FAQs
Diversity in all its forms matters; great ideas can come from anyone.
Read more
Funding Opportunities
Inclusive Innovation Award 2022 to 2023
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £2.5 million for scale-up of existing work, or development of new work, on inclusive innovations.
Opens: 28/09/2022 Closes: 09/11/2022
Innovation Exchange
Net Zero
Global Alliance
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Innovate UK group
Innovate UK group is an ecosystem of expertise, funding, and powerful connections. Learn about how we can each uniquely help you achieve your innovation goals.
