Innovation UK has announced the winners of the 2025 Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KPT), to celebrate 50 years of Britain’s best and most successful innovation programmes.
Brought to you by Innovation UK, the National Axis for Innovation, the Milestone event recognized half a century of collaboration between business, universities and graduate, product-driven projects, selling power across the economy.
This year’s winners were praised for their special contributions to scientific progress, digital transformation and creating social value, combining the enduring work of KTP to transform research on the edge of real results.
The African Ecugqet COMGICT KTP award went to Taro-agric in Agric, in collaboration with Obafemi Awololo University and the University of the West of England, because it is empowered in the matter of the Nigerian poultry industry. Collaboration using IOT platforms, dashboards and databases to address production inefficiencies, cut costs and mortality and costs while increasing the profitability of digital agriculture.
The best KTP award was given to Yeo Valley Farms (Production) Ltd and the University of Retuning, whose partnership is revolutionizing Yoghurt Production through Complex Modeling and Protein Science. Through the development of milk protein desaturation and gel research, the project has doubled the use of milk, improved product production, and presented both financial and environmental benefits – while enriching teaching and enrichment opportunities.
The Changing the World Award went to Dunsters Farm Limited and Manchester Metropolitan University, a family-run food service business recognized for evangelism, social value, and data-driven decision-making in its operations. This initiative secured a six-year, £40 million contract to position the farm as a model for responsible, profitable business growth.
Richard Lamb, KTP Program Manager at Innovate UK, hailed this year’s cohort as proof that the initiative remains “as good as it gets.”
“Year after year, projects within our KTP program exceed expectations, deliver significant impact, improve awareness and drive growth,” said Lumbo. “After 50 years, KTP continues to attract ambitious businesses, academics with a passion for solving real-world challenges, and the brightest minds from around the world.”
This year also saw the rut of the Golden ktp Awards, honoring people and projects whose influences have shaped the practice of innovation and collaboration throughout the history of the program.
Since its inception, the KTP program has funded more than 14,000 partnerships, created 2.3 billion in limited investment and established itself as a cornerstone of innovation.
“KTP sits at the heart of the UK’s mission of productivity, sustainability, and sustainable industrial growth through collaboration between business and education,” Lamb added.
2025 Establishing a UK KTP FOR SINGLE UKTPs
- Best African Agriculture KTP Project: Taro-agric Farm (TAF) – University of the west of England, Bristol and Obafemi Awolowo University
- Best Knowledge Base KTT Team: University of Essex
- Award for best information transfer: Yeo Valley Farms (Production) Ltd – University of Reading
- Changing World Prize: Dunsters Farm Limited – Manchester Metropolitan University
- Future Awards:
Ashtead Engineering Ltd – Kingston University
Dr Simeon Skopalik – Soapworks Ltd / University of Glasgow
Ray Holder – StimHise Holdings Limited / University of West of Scotland
Shay Mcevoy – Ab pneumatics Ltd / University Balsefast
Renato Software Ltd – Birmingham City University
- KTS ACADIMOCIC OF THE YEAR: TNEI Services Limited – Glasgow Caledonian University
- The prize for technology is beauty: Soapworks Ltd – University of Glasgow
- Business Transformation Award: Detoxpeole Ltd – Anglia Ruskin University
As Innove Uk celebrates the Golden Jubilee of its flagship programme, KTP Awalls 2025 brings back the UK’s global leadership in academic collaboration.
From AI-Driven Agriculture to low-carbon food production, the winning partnership shows how business orientation meets academic insight – a formula that has delivered impact for five years in Britain.
