A question I get asked a lot is how quickly a business can start a KTP, as they are obviously keen to get started and to start generating benefits from the collaboration. For a business, especially if they are trying to create a competitive advantage, moving rapidly is key.
I have to say, if it’s a quick fix you are looking for then KTPs are probably not the best partnership option – they are more suited to mid- to long-term challenges and projects than that immediate piece of work.
From first conversation to actual project start, I would suggest that this can take between 6 (very optimistic) and 18 (pessimistic but not unusual) months.
To summarise the process…..
- first conversations with the company, finding the right academics and scoping out the challenge that the company wants to address – 2 weeks to 1 month.
- completion of the Fact Finding Form and gathering the financial information – 2 weeks to 1 month.
- Share FFF with the KTP adviser (KTA) and have the first project meeting to gain support of KTA and move to full application stage – 1 week to 1 month dependent on availability of KTA local to company.
- Full application stage, completing application form and workplan, and gathering any other required information – multiple iterations aiming towards a specific deadline, 4 weeks to 8 weeks (dependent on engagement of all parties).
- Submit application to competition deadline – deadlines are generally every 2-3 months, with applications submitted to the Innovation Funding Service portal (your KTP officer in the University will manage this).
- Wait for assessment notification – usually 2 months after submission.
- Wait for the Grant Offer Letter (GOL) – usually 1 month after assessment notification.
- I usually start the draft contract between the University and company as soon as we receive notification of success – same with the formal recruitment process….. bearing in mind that we can’t offer the Associate role to a candidate until the GOL is received and the contract is signed.
- Advertise the Associate role – 1 month minimum.
- Shortlist, interview, offer the position.
- Wait for Associate to finish any notice period, address and Visa challenges and start the project.
- (repeat recruitment process of 2-3 months multiple times until the right person is identified and recruited).
Each KTP must begin a maximum of 9 months after the date of the GOL, which gives you the time to repeat the recruitment if required.
Day 1 of the project then arrives, and it’s then and only then that the benefits of the project can start to be realised, and dependent on the project these benefits may be early or later in an 18 to 36 month project.
