Ktn Network

Driving Innovation

Knowledge Transfer Networks

Peter Dirken – KTN Programme Manager

University of Dundee9 September 2010

Driving Innovation

Summary• Who are the Technology Strategy Board?• What is a Knowledge Transfer Network?• Current portfolio• Example – Chemistry Innovation• Scottish KTN presence• Case studies• Links with the Research Councils• Questions/suggestions

Image by Dan Zen

Driving Innovation

Technology Strategy Board• UK’s innovation agency• Set up in 2007• Based in Swindon• 120 staff mainly from business• Working with business,

academia, government• Budget of £1b over 3 years (up to

1/4/2011)• Key programmes such as SBRI,

KTP, KTNs, Innovation Platforms, CR&D.

Driving Innovation

Investment criteria

Can the UK do it?Is there a large market

opportunity?

Is the idea ‘ready’?Can the Technology

Strategy Board make a difference?

Driving Innovation

BAS APP EXP

Market readiness

TSB and its co-funders funding

Blue sky

Feasibility

Technology Demo

System Dev.

System Qual.

Technology Development

Prod. Prototype

Commercialisation

R&D pipeline

Driving Innovation

How we deliver

Driving Innovation

£1 billion investment over 3 years

The innovation climate

Challenge-led innovation

Technology-inspiredinnovation

2008-9 2010-11

Driving Innovation

Technology Inspired Innovation• We build capability in the

underpinning areas that enable a sure and effective response to market needs– Advanced materials– Bioscience– Electronics, photonics and electrical systems– Information and communication technologies – High value manufacturing – Nanotechnology

Driving Innovation

Challenge-led innovation• We aim to understand the

needs of the markets and support the most innovative and competitive responses– Energy generation and supply– Environmental sustainability– Built environment– Creative industries– High value services– Medicines and healthcare– Transport

Driving Innovation

Innovation Platforms• We work with Government as they

address societal challenges to give business the future market definition they need to be competitive – Intelligent Transport Systems and Services– Network Security– Low Carbon Vehicles– Assisted Living– Low Impact Buildings– Detection and Identification of Infectious Agents– Sustainable Agrifood

Driving Innovation

Example IP Societal Challenges & Responses

Low Carbon Vehicles• Challenge: Transport is 24% of UK CO2. >90% road of

which 99% is fossil fuel.• Gov Action: Supply & Demand Side Incentives

– EU g/km CO2 “fleet average” targets - linked to heavy fines for suppliers that do not comply

– Public Procurement Programme (£50M Fleet)– Road Tax incentive– Congestion Charge Exemptions– Future EV subsidy (£2-5k from 2011) – etc.

Driving Innovation

What is a Knowledge Transfer Network?• National network in a specific field of

technology or business application • Aim: stimulation of innovation through

knowledge sharing and networking• Knowledge sharing:

– Business to business – Science base to business– Between sectors– InternationalBut: for the ultimate benefit of business and for the purpose of wealth creation

• They are the Connect in ‘Connect & Catalyse’

Driving Innovation

Knowledge Transfer Networks exist to :

• give the Technology Strategy Board the reach into the key industries and markets it needs to get the most out of its key programmes and to ensure that especially the innovative SME community is supported.

• provide the Technology Strategy Board with independent information on key developments and trends in these industries and markets.

• help make industry make connections, partnerships and collaborations, share knowledge and accelerate the pace of innovation through networking

Image by Shashi Bellamkonda

Driving Innovation

Outcomes for business• Transfer of new technologies• Creating/improving supply chains• Creation of collaborations and

partnerships• Accessing funding (signposting +

advice)• Unlocking academic know-how• Barriers to innovation identified and

addressed• Common voiceImage by frankh

Driving Innovation

16 Existing Knowledge Transfer Networks:Aerospace & Defence Environmental Sustainability

Biosciences Financial Services

Chemistry Innovation HealthTech & Medicines

Creative Industries Industrial Mathematics

Digital Communications# Materials

Digital Systems# Modern Built Environment

Electronics, Sensors, Photonics

Nanotechnologies

Energy Generation & Supply

Transport

# to merge into one ICT KTN in April 2011

Driving Innovation

As well as a number of Special Interest Groups:

Space

Assisted Living

Industrial Biotech

Smart Meters

Environmental Monitoring

Algal biofuel

Driving Innovation

Example – Chemistry Innovation KTN

• Director, independent chair, technical and project management specialists, industry-led steering board

• Clear vision and strategic focus (6 sector priority areas that guide all activities within the KTN)

• Strong links with academia and regions

Driving Innovation

BSI panel meeting 15th of June 2009

Regions

Academia

Example – Chemistry KTN

Business

Driving Innovation

Example – Chemistry Innovation KTN

• Varied events programme and project brokering– KITE - Bringing together of supply chain

• KTN connector – links with Technology Strategy Board

• £50M collaborative funding leveraged on behalf of members since inception (2006)

Driving Innovation

• Over the last 3 years the KTNs have:– Facilitated 1195 projects for their communities.– Helped establish 37 spin outs and 64 products.– Secured 56 KTPs and 397 secondments

and Case awards– Held 3300 events for 105,000 people.– Generate £250M of value for

UK business from an investment

of £56M– Leveraged £1.2b of funding for KTN users.– Leveraged £0.5b of Venture Capital funding.

KTN basic numbers

Image by mconnors

Driving Innovation

• There are currently 24000 KTN users (as of 3 September 2010), 30% of these are users of more than one network as compared to 10% previously.

• There have been 96,000 unique visitors to the new _Connect web platform since the platform was launched, 80.5% UK, the rest from 187 countries (3.5% US, 1.5% Germany and 1.4 % India).

KTN basic numbers

Driving Innovation

• KTNs provide RCs with latest industry trends, strengths and opportunities.

• KTNs are delivery agents of EPSRC for Industrial Case

• RCs fund a number of Special Interest Groups• RCs provide us with intelligence on where the

sources of the best academic know-how are.• There is strong representation of academia

(individual universities as well as RCs) on KTN boards.

Close links with the Research Councils

Driving Innovation

Scottish KTN activities• Biosciences KTN

– is Head Quartered in Scotland at Roslin BioCentre, Roslin, Midlothian. 9 of the 16 (56%) staff positions in the KTN are based in Scotland.  

– Biosciences KTN activity in Scotland in the Animal sector (in which Scottish academia is a world leader) is co-financed by two existing Scottish grants.

• HealthTech and Medicines KTN – has established an office at Roslin Biocentre that houses three core staff

and offers hot-desking space. – The KTN has strategic links to BIA Scotland and ABPI Scotland through

additional office sharing in central Edinburgh and is well connected to other relevant networks in Scotland such as Nexxus, ISPE Scotland, Scottish Stem Cell Network.

– There are strong link with Scottish network for medical technologies through new company Medilink Scotland, plus prior links with Targeting Innovation and Scottish Enterprise

Driving Innovation

Scottish KTN activities• Creative Industries KTN

– Membership of the KTN in Scotland is currently 171 (or 14%) of individual members, the second highest percentage for any UK region.

• ESP KTN – has a regional office based at the Alba Innovation Centre in Livingston,

Scotland. This office covers the whole of the UK, developing and promoting PPE KTN activities with 7 UK regional delivery partners one of which is the Scottish Optoelectronics Association.

– In partnership with the Scottish Optoelectronics Association the PPE KTN has organised several events in Scotland, including the TSB Advanced Lasers and Displays Call & FP7 NMP Call, and Sensing Improvements in our Food.

• Digital Communications KTN – The Digital Communications KTN works closely with Scottish

Enterprise, who has a representative on the KTN board. The KTN works in association with Innovations Centres Scotland, its subsidiary Wireless Innovation and DSP Scotland, who are all  partners in the ‘network of networks’. Also the KTN works with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the University of Strathclyde and Edinburgh University in developing and implementing a number of programmes in Scotland.

• Transport KTN, Materials KTN ……..

Driving Innovation

Case study – Materials KTN

• Knowledge Transfer introduced material new to the sector

• Technical innovation created competitive advantage and a 300% increase in sales.

• It isn’t always about funding (although it always comes down to money)!

Image by Lin Pernille ♥ Photography

Introduction of novel material into an old product design

Driving Innovation

Case study – Biosciences KTN

• Biosciences KTN introduced Croda to an academic at Newcastle University with expertise in marine sciences

• Post-doctoral research grant resulted from this initial contact followed by successful transfer of knowledge and technology into the industrial sponsor

• Scale up of the production process required considerable care and effort as it involves a marine fermentation and hence specialist plant facilities (largest marine fermenter in Europe). The KTN have provided ongoing support and assistance to all parties through this process

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Using IB to develop a new route for production of a high value nutritional ingredient

Driving Innovation

Case study – HealthTech & Medicines KTN

• At the bioProcessUK annual conference a number of companies (Intertek ASG, Eli Lilly, Lonza Biologics) met Prof David Goodall of York University spin-out Paraytec and formed a collaboration with Prof Rob Forbes of the University of Bradford to develop a collaboration to detect unwanted aggregation of biopharmaceuticals during bioprocessing or storage. The consortium won grant funding under the Collaborative R&D scheme and additional private investment followed.

Image by aidairi

Helping formation of collaboration - Paraytec

Driving Innovation

How can you get involved?• Talk to us (see our KTN leaflet for details).• Visit our new _Connect space, ~100000 people have

already done so since April this year!• Register and let us know what you are looking for,

post your thoughts, discuss and shape our direction.

• Come to the KTNs’

events• Attend our on-line • seminars – (details

see _Connect website)• Network!

Driving Innovation

Thank You!

Technology Strategy Board: www.innovateuk.org

_Connect : https://ktn.innovateuk.org/