The document discusses the value of collaboration in innovation and advancing materials in the UK. It notes that the UK spends over £35 billion annually on research and development, and aims to increase that to £60 billion. Collaboration through organizations like the Knowledge Transfer Network can help accelerate innovation by connecting businesses, researchers, funders and other stakeholders to develop new technologies and solutions. Examples of KTN's support activities that facilitate collaboration include networking events, technology dissemination, and mentoring on funding proposals.

1. Innovation in Advanced Materials:
Value from Collaboration
Dr Robert Quarshie
Head of Materials
Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN)

2. The value from collaboration is in the strength of
relationships, contacts and knowledge built

3. The Bigger Picture…………..
• In 2017, the UK spent almost £35bn on research and development – or R&D –
representing just under 1.7% of GDP.
• To achieve our target of 2.4%, total UK R&D investment would need to rise to
around £60bn in today’s money. More than double our current investment
levels.
• But we are on the right track. This government has pledged to increase spending
on R&D activities by £7bn over 5 years by 2022. This represents the largest
increase this country has seen in R&D investment in nearly 40 years.
• (Chris Skidmore MP – Minister for Research and Innovation)

4. The challenge

5. UK Advanced Materials Strategic Themes
• Advanced Materials underpin £170 billion
of UK Manufacturing
– Works out at 30% of the turnover
• UK Infrastructure highly dependent on the
structural integrity and functionalities
derived from materials
• 8 Key thematic areas of importance in
materials development and future
innovation
– Proposed by the Advanced Materials
Leadership Council (AMLC)
@KTNUK

6. UK Growth Opportunities in the use of Materials

7. Connecting to accelerate business innovation
Fund Connect

8. Enabling “the World’s most
innovative economy”*
“…do more to address some of the frictions in the
system to support collaboration and the flow of
knowledge between research base and industry,
accelerating the path to market.”
*Industrial Strategy White Paper 2017

9. Innovate UK’s Network Partner
At KTN we help to accelerate
innovation
• Our mission is to deliver
economic growth. We connect
people to speed up innovation,
solve problems and find markets
for new ideas.
• We bring together businesses,
entrepreneurs, academics and
funders to develop new
products, processes and
services.
UK Economic
Growth
Businesses,
Entrepreneurs
and Investors
KTN The UK’s
Innovation
Network
Technologies,
Inventions and
Creativity

10. Key Materials Expertise in KTN
• Advanced Composites
• Surface Engineering and Coatings
• Plastics and Elastomers
• Metals and Alloys
• Ceramics, Glass and Powders
• 2D Materials & Nanomaterials
• Metamaterials & Smart materials
• Technical Textiles and Packaging

11. Materials
Chemistry
Agri-Food
Biosciences
Medical
Biotechnology
Health
ICT
Electronics, Sensors
& Photonics
Defence & Security
Space
Built Environment
Transport
Energy
Creative Industries
Digital Economy
Design Services
Focus is on bringing together groups that would not normally meet
Sustainability, H2020, International, Knowledge Transfer Advisors, Manufacturing
Enabling Cross-sector Collaborations

12. UK-wide & Local

13. Enabling “the World’s most
innovative economy”*
“Make it Easier” enabling delivery of “a simpler,
well-functioning research and innovation
ecosystem which is easier to use and helps build
collaborative partnerships ...”.
*UK Research and Innovation Objective 8

14. Finding valuable
partners
-
Project consortium
building
-
Supply Chain
Knowledge
-
Driving new
connections
-
Articulating challenges
-
Finding creative
solutions
Awareness and
dissemination
-
Public and private
finance
-
Advice – project scope
-
Advice – proposal
mentoring
-
Project
follow-up
Promoting
Industry needs
-
Informing policy makers
-
Informing
strategy
-
Communicating trends
and market drivers
Intelligence on trends
and markets
-
Business Planning
support
-
Success stories / raising
profile
Navigating the
innovation support
landscape
-
Promoting coherent
strategy and approach
-
Engaging wider
stakeholders
-
Curation of innovation
resources
Connecting Supporting NavigatingInfluencingAccess to Funding
Role of KTN

15. KTN as a catalyst of innovation
More targeted on high-growth-potential businesses
Better connecting the research base to challenges and needs
More convening in support of the Industrial Strategy
Delivering more capacity via new innovation tools
Innovating in how we network to do more of ‘what works’
Building and facilitating new collaborations

16. Examples of Support Activities
• Networking
– Workshops / Events
– Online meetings
– Regular newsletters
• Technology Innovation Needs &
Dissemination
• Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
• European Technology Platforms
• Consortia & Proposal Mentoring

17. Strategic Collaborations - SIGs
Convening across industries or technologies for a purpose
Groups Ended 14/15 Groups Operating 18/19/20
Detection of Infectious Agents
Formulation
Flexible Manufacturing
Surface Engineering
Robotics and AI
Additive Layer Manufacturing
Immersive Experience
Quantum Technologies
Synthetic Biology
Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Health
Compound Semiconductors
Materials for Composites
Energy Harvesting
Nature-Inspired
Zero Plastics Waste
Neurotechnology
Geospatial
Groups Ended 15/16
Digital Health
Energy Efficient Computing
e-Infrastructure
Groups Ended 16/17
Materials Chemistry
Forensics
Simulation
Internet of Things
Industrial Biotechnology
Materials Security
Solar Energy
Design
Groups Ended 17/18
Personal Data and Trust
Graphene and 2D Materials
Uncertainty Quantification &
Management

18. Cross Sector Network
Contacts
133,000
Delegates across
over 400 events
28,172
Business
Engagements
5,000
New Collaborations
500
The KTN in numbers
The KTN is staffed by approximately 180 sector, marketing and events
specialists located across the whole of the UK.

19. Over £100 Million increased R&D investment
from business per year *
Which resulted in…
* Figures for 2017/18

20. Building the right consortium
- One of the key features of a good proposal
1. Alignment to the competition scope
2. Quality of research and innovation
3. A strong business case / a convincing value proposition
4. A credible plan for Research and Development
5. The right consortium
6. A clear need for support
7. Sufficient risk

21. 5. The right consortium
• Horizontal or vertical consortia (or both) possible
• Why these partners? – what makes this a particularly strong
consortium?
• Show how all the partners have an active role to play and how
each benefits in some way (no “passengers”)
• If there are global markets in mind, explain how these will be
accessed
Connecting people
to drive innovation
— Find expertise
— Find markets
— Find finance
@KTNUK

22. Online Access to Potential Collaborators
• KTN has developed a number of Sector innovation
Landscape Maps
• Designed to provide a visual, dynamic representation
of the UK current capabilities and activities
• Allow users to easily and quickly source data within
an otherwise complex and confusing eco-system
Access to KTN Landscape Sector Maps: ktnlandscapes.com

23. Access to Digital Tools - www.ktn-toolkit.com

24. MRE2020
Research and Investor Showcase

25. - Polymers, Plastics and Elastomers (Sally Beken)
- Composites and Structures (Ajay Kapadia)
- Functional Materials, Textiles and Packaging (Brian McCarthy)
- Nanotechnology, Graphene & Other 2D Materials (Tatiana Correia)
- Circularity and Functional Materials (Veronica Sanchez-Romaguera)
- Metals and Inorganic Materials (Robert Quarshie)
Communicate with us, its free - www.ktn-uk.co.uk
Materials team at KTN

26. twitter:
email:
phone:
Contact Details
@KTNUK
• robert.quarshie@ktn-uk.org
• 07964 563744
• @KTNUK
Website: www.ktn-uk.co.uk
Collaboration helps to Leapfrog the Valley of Death
Thank You